The political economy of labor and student mobilizations in egypt 1919 - 2011 : a social movement theory approach

Abstract

This thesis investigates the political economy of the Egyptian labor and student movements. It uses elements of social movement theory, specifically: political opportunities and threats, framing, diffusion and spillover within a broad political economy framework to assess mobilizations by the labor and student movement in four eras of contemporary Egyptian history: the pre-1952 era, the Nasser Era, the Sadat Era, and the Mubarak Era. The thesis examines how both movements responded to the political economy pressures of the respective eras. Within the context of social movement theory, the thesis argues that political opportunities such as institutional access, elite conflict, regime weakness and international dynamics have had an impact on mobilizations by both movements. Similarly, the thesis argues that threats such as state-attributed economic problems, erosion of rights and state repression have also affected mobilizations by both movements. In addition, despite the authoritarian nature of successive Egyptian regimes, the labor and student movement were at times able to affect government policies, as well as seriously challenge an incumbent regime in 2011. The thesis also demonstrates that diffusion and spillover processes have occurred between both movements, and that they have been more successful in challenging the authorities when such processes occur. Finally, the thesis examines the limitations of such diffusion and spillover processes, and argues that the inability of both movements to sustain momentum in the long term is due to cooptation efforts by established political forces and the absence of viable and enduring organizational structures that are autonomous of state control.