Understanding the Persistence of Competitive Authoritarianism in Algeria

ISBN-13: 9783031051043 / Angielski / Miękka / 2023

Dalia Ghanem

Opis

This book unravels the secrets behind the Algerian regime’s survival and the pillars of its longevity. How did authoritarian consolidation happen, and why is it likely to continue despite Bouteflika’s departure and the emergence of a new actor: the popular movement, Hirak. The author sheds light on the pillars behind the durability of Algeria’s regime. The latter has demonstrated an extraordinary capacity to perpetuate itself through an array of mechanisms. It identifies Algeria’s authoritarianism as a distinctly competitive and adaptable kind, which has better allowed the regime to persist in the face of all manner of change. The book analyzes Algeria’s situation and the regime persistence far from the premise of a trend towards democratization. The project also contributes to a broader area of study concerned with “competitive authoritarianism,” regimes that face domestic resistance, the question of what and how compels such regimes to change, the nature of their political institutions, and more.

Recenzje

"The book gives a deep historical and political insight into the functioning of the authoritarian Algerian government and how it has managed to survive since independence despite huge challenges. The book is an easy read and should be a reference work on how Algeria survived the upheavals in the region." (Abdul Adil, The Muslim News, muslimnews.co.uk, December 30, 2022)

Spis treści

Chapter 1. Introduction. - Chapter 2. The Military: The Real Broker of Power in Algeria. - Chapter 3. Hyperpluralism and Co-optation: The Secrets Behind Turning the Opposition into a Pillar of the Regime. - Chapter 4. Divide and Conquer: The Atomization of Civil Society. - Chapter 5. A Controlled Economic Liberalization. - Chapter 6. The Policies of Violence and Repression. - Chapter 7. Conclusion: Algeria's Future Prospects: Less Competitive, More Authoritarian

O autorze

Dalia Ghanem is a former Senior Resident Scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, Lebanon, where her research focused on Algeria’s political, economic, social, and security developments. Dr. Ghanem holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines. Her Ph.D. thesis analysed the drivers of youth radicalization during the civil war in Algeria (1999-2001). Her research also examined political violence, radicalization, civil-military relationships, transborder dynamics, and gender.

Blurb

“A very rich and useful research on Algeria, merging historical and political perspectives. It paves the way to a very stimulating and comparative concept, as the Algerian regime is conceived as a ‘competitive authoritarianism.’ To be absolutely used by political scientists, historians and all those who are keen on the Algerian puzzle!”

—Bertrand Badie, Professor Emeritus of Universities at Sciences Po Paris, France

“Excellent insights into the functioning of a competitive authoritarian system that for decades has managed to weather substantial challenges through fine-tuning of its ‘toolkit rather than overhauling its foundations. This book impressively dissects how the regime has used competition within authoritarianism to thwart civil society and, the Hirak.”

—Isabelle Werenfels, Senior Fellow and Maghreb Expert, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, Berlin, Germany

This book unravels the secrets behind the Algerian regime’s survival and the pillars of its longevity. How did authoritarian consolidation happen, and why is it likely to continue despite Bouteflika’s departure and the emergence of a new actor: the popular movement, Hirak. The author sheds light on the pillars behind the durability of Algeria’s regime. The latter has demonstrated an extraordinary capacity to perpetuate itself through an array of mechanisms. It identifies Algeria’s authoritarianism as a distinctly competitive and adaptable kind, which has better allowed the regime to persist in the face of all manner of change. The book analyzes Algeria’s situation and the regime persistence far from the premise of a trend towards democratization. The project also contributes to a broader area of study concerned with “competitive authoritarianism,” regimes that face domestic resistance, the question of what and how compels such regimes to change, the nature of their political institutions, and more.

Dalia Ghanem is a former Senior Resident Scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, Lebanon, where her research focused on Algeria’s political, economic, social, and security developments.