Religion and Civil Society in the Arab World

This book examines the links between civil society, religion and politics in the Middle East and North Africa region. The chapters in the volume explore the role of religion in shaping and changing the public sphere in regions that are developing and/or in conflict. They also discuss how these relations are reflected on civil society organizations and the role they are expected to play in transitional periods. This volume: - investigates the conceptual dilemmas regarding what is 'civil society' in the Arab world today - examines the dynamic roles of civil society organizations and religion in the Middle East and North Africa - explores the future of the Arab civil society post-'Arab Spring' events, and how the latter continues to reshape the demand for democracy in the region. A comprehensive study of how the Arab civil society has come into being and its changing roles, this eclectic work will be of interest to scholars and researchers of politics, especially political Islam, international relations, Middle East Studies, African Studies, sociology and social anthropology.

Tania Haddad is Assistant Professor for Public Administration at the Department of Political Studies and Public Administration, American University of Beirut, Lebanon, since 2013. Her teaching expertise includes civil society, public and nonprofit management, program evaluation and research methods. Her research interests currently focus on issues related to civil society and nonprofit management in Lebanon and the Middle East. Elie Al Hindy is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law and Political Science at Notre Dame University, Louaize, Lebanon, since 2009. He has served previously as Chairperson of the department of Government and International Relations (2011-2015), President of the Board of ALEF - act for human rights (2012-2017) and as Director of the Middle East Institute for Research and Strategic Studies (since 2014).

Introduction: changing role of civil society in the Arab world Tania Haddad and Elie Al Hindy PART I Sacred/non-secular perspectives on civil society and politics in the Arab world 1 Disambiguating the idea of public sphere and secularism in the Middle East Dara Salam 2 Civil society and non-profit governance in the Arab world Tania Haddad and Yara Zalzal 3 Rethinking Arab civil society: Arab Revolutions and reconceptualization of civil society Zaid Eyadat 4 The changing role of Arab civil society: between fundamentalism and civic activism Elie Al Hindy PART II Significant case studies 5 Trapped in a vicious circle? Why Egyptian civil society failed to capitalize on the revolution Moustafa Khalil 6 Civil society and political transition: the cases of Tunisia and Libya Elie Abouaoun 7 Religion, relief and reform: the history of civil society in Lebanon Tania Haddad, Thomas W. Haase and Melissa Ajamian 8 Constraints on Lebanese nongovernmental organizations: a survey of the literature Melissa Ajamian and Thomas W. Haase Conclusion Tania Haddad and Elie Al Hindy