ABSTRACT
The changing landscape of Egyptian political society and the consequential rise of the Islamist movement Just as researchers frequently question the sincerity of anti abortion activists’ concern for the fetus in light of the pragmatic strategy that has characterized their movement, many researchers are challenged to see the quest for the imple mentation of Sharia law in Egyptian politics as a genuine religious interest. Many other explanations are offered instead, with the most dominant sharing common themes with those used to explain the American anti abortion move ment. Often the Islamist movement is perceived to be a reaction against moder nity, ushered in by colonialism, industrialization and urbanization. Islam is viewed as an obvious aberrant problem, and the task of the researcher becomes to find the “real” reason for its resurgence. Studies are peppered with references to high rates of illiteracy among the population, continuous and pervasive poverty, limited political awareness,1 and political and social alienation.2 And while the term is not used, these arguments are reminiscent of Ted Gurr’s theory of “relative deprivation,” in that they imply that the Islamic resurgence in the 1970s was born out of discontent and frustra tion in light of previous promises of prosperity.
