The video recording of this talk is now available on our new video resource page.

Professor Yoram Meital, Chairman, Chaim Herzog Center for Middle East Studies and Diplomacy and Senior Lecturer in Middle East Studies, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel  presented a public talk at CMES on Tuesday 15 September at 4 PM on the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the contestation for political power in Egypt. His thesis was that the National Democratic Party – the party of the president -- is securely in place, and that the Muslim Brotherhood, while important in Egyptian society, is unable to challenge the power of the ruling party. Professor Meital was critical of approaches to studying the Muslim Brotherhood that are not contextualized.

Responding to Professor Meital was Professor Tarek Masoud Faculty Affiliate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School. He stressed that the Muslim Brotherhood are far smaller in terms of support, power levels and ability to contest for political power in Egypt than the National Democratic Party. Professor Masoud also reiterated Professor Meital’s emphasis that studying the Muslim Brotherhood and the movement of Islamic politics must be done in context to avoid simplistic assumptions and short-sighted policy proposals.  The lecture was attended by 27 people.