In Pursuit of Legitimacy: The Muslim Brotherhood’s Discourse on Democracy and Human Rights in Post-2013 Egypt

This article examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s strategic framing of democracy and human rights in Egypt following the 2013 military coup, contributing to scholarship on the movement’s adaptation to repression and political exclusion. Employing framing analysis, this study analyzes official statement...

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Main Author: Bosmat Yefet
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Religions
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/4/528
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author Bosmat Yefet
author_facet Bosmat Yefet
author_sort Bosmat Yefet
collection DOAJ
description This article examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s strategic framing of democracy and human rights in Egypt following the 2013 military coup, contributing to scholarship on the movement’s adaptation to repression and political exclusion. Employing framing analysis, this study analyzes official statements from Ikhwanonline from 2015 to 2024, when the old guard regained control over the organization’s messaging, in order to explore how the movement operated to reclaim political legitimacy amid repression, exile, and internal fragmentation. The findings indicate that despite the failure of its strategic commitment to democracy as a pathway to political dominance—culminating in its ousting—the old guard continues to espouse this framework. The movement frames its predicament and struggle as part of the Egyptian people’s broader fight against oppression and authoritarianism. This rhetorical continuity persists despite internal divisions and reformist calls for a more proactive approach, highlighting the movement’s reliance on established discursive strategies not only to confront regime repression but also to avoid engaging with questions of institutional reform.
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spelling doaj-art-d3fb1e3d1126488d899a5d52341c4e212025-08-20T02:18:10ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442025-04-0116452810.3390/rel16040528In Pursuit of Legitimacy: The Muslim Brotherhood’s Discourse on Democracy and Human Rights in Post-2013 EgyptBosmat Yefet0Department of Middle Eastern Studies, Ariel University, Ariel 4070000, IsraelThis article examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s strategic framing of democracy and human rights in Egypt following the 2013 military coup, contributing to scholarship on the movement’s adaptation to repression and political exclusion. Employing framing analysis, this study analyzes official statements from Ikhwanonline from 2015 to 2024, when the old guard regained control over the organization’s messaging, in order to explore how the movement operated to reclaim political legitimacy amid repression, exile, and internal fragmentation. The findings indicate that despite the failure of its strategic commitment to democracy as a pathway to political dominance—culminating in its ousting—the old guard continues to espouse this framework. The movement frames its predicament and struggle as part of the Egyptian people’s broader fight against oppression and authoritarianism. This rhetorical continuity persists despite internal divisions and reformist calls for a more proactive approach, highlighting the movement’s reliance on established discursive strategies not only to confront regime repression but also to avoid engaging with questions of institutional reform.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/4/528Muslim Brotherhooddemocracyhuman rightsEgyptframinglegitimation
spellingShingle Bosmat Yefet
In Pursuit of Legitimacy: The Muslim Brotherhood’s Discourse on Democracy and Human Rights in Post-2013 Egypt
Religions
Muslim Brotherhood
democracy
human rights
Egypt
framing
legitimation
title In Pursuit of Legitimacy: The Muslim Brotherhood’s Discourse on Democracy and Human Rights in Post-2013 Egypt
title_full In Pursuit of Legitimacy: The Muslim Brotherhood’s Discourse on Democracy and Human Rights in Post-2013 Egypt
title_fullStr In Pursuit of Legitimacy: The Muslim Brotherhood’s Discourse on Democracy and Human Rights in Post-2013 Egypt
title_full_unstemmed In Pursuit of Legitimacy: The Muslim Brotherhood’s Discourse on Democracy and Human Rights in Post-2013 Egypt
title_short In Pursuit of Legitimacy: The Muslim Brotherhood’s Discourse on Democracy and Human Rights in Post-2013 Egypt
title_sort in pursuit of legitimacy the muslim brotherhood s discourse on democracy and human rights in post 2013 egypt
topic Muslim Brotherhood
democracy
human rights
Egypt
framing
legitimation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/4/528
work_keys_str_mv AT bosmatyefet inpursuitoflegitimacythemuslimbrotherhoodsdiscourseondemocracyandhumanrightsinpost2013egypt