| This study examined the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood's resurgence for the period from 1971 to 2005. The research methods instruments involved twenty seven semi-structured interviews, a survey questionnaire, and content analysis.The study inductively proposed the following three inferences that account for the resurgence. First, the expansion of political opportunity structure during the period of the study facilitated the emergence, development, and sustenance of the Muslim Brotherhood's resurgence. In particular, the expansion was manifested in the state's declining capacity and propensity for repression, a partial opening in the formal political system, and increasing presence of influential allies. While the existence of some favorable objective opportunities were necessary for collective action, they were consequential to the extent the Brethren interpreted and perceived them as viable opportunities that can help attain the Muslim Brotherhood's goals.Second, mobilizing structures, such as student unions, syndicates, Islamic Private Voluntary Organizations, and neighborhood mosques facilitated the resurgence by keeping the Brethren, supporters, and bystanders informed and prepared for those moments when the political opportunity structure expanded.Third, the resurgence was due in part to the large degree of collective action frames' resonance with potential adherents' extant beliefs, values, and experiences, which helped build a consensus mobilization that expanded the pool of motivated supporters. The extent of collective action frames' resonance depended on their relative salience and credibility from the viewpoint of bystanders. By aligning the Muslim Brotherhood's collective action frames with potential adherents' dominant beliefs, values, experiences, and interests, the relative salience of the frames was enhanced, thereby increasing the degree of their resonance. In addition, the Brethren articulators' credibility played an important role in building consensus mobilization (i.e., diffusing the Muslim Brotherhood's collective action frames) among bystanders. |
