A seminar with Bjørn Olav Utvik, University of Oslo

According to one narrative at the time the military took power in Egypt on 3 July 2013 to rid the country of a Muslim Brother president who had misused his democratic mandate to arrogate to himself autocratic powers. But what had really been at stake in the power struggle between Islamists, secularists and the deep state that characterised the period from the fall of Mubarak to the ousting of Mursi? It will be shown that the problems had little to do with President Mursi being anything close to an Islamising dictator. Rather the lack of mutual trust between Islamist and secularists created an ideal situation for those aiming to roll back the fledgling post-revolutionary democratic reforms.

Bjørn Olav Utvik is Professor in Middle East History and Director of the Centre for Islamic and Middle East Studies at the University of Oslo. His main research interest has been political Islam, with a special focus on Egypt and Iran. He is the author of The Pious Road to Development: Islamist Economics in Egypt (2006), Islamismen (2011, in Norwegian) and Oil States in the New Middle East: Uprisings & Stability (with Kjetil Selvik, eds., forthcoming 2015).

Coffee/tea and light snacks will be served from 13.30. Welcome!

Organizer:
The Centre for Islamic and Middle East Studies and The New Middle East; Emerging political and ideological trends

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