Securitization of the Muslim brotherhood by Egyptian regimes: A comparison of the Nasser and Sisi era

This thesis explores the security relationship between the Egyptian regimes and the Muslim Brotherhood, culminating in the Nasser era and post-2011 revolution to a securitization process aimed at eradicating the Brotherhood's activities. The study concludes by finding the similarities and differences between the securitization patterns held by the Egyptian regimes towards the movement in the eras of presidents Nasser and Sisi. While multiple frameworks exist to dissect regime preservation tactics, this thesis uniquely harnesses securitization theory to illuminate these patterns. Research arguments are based on the theoretical framework of Terry Balzaque' s securitization theory and Juha Vuori's foundational work on securitization in non-democratic environments. The research emphasizes that the relationship between the Egyptian regime and the Muslim Brotherhood has taken on a security-oriented form since the group's inception up to the present day. The regime allowed limited freedom for the Brotherhood in religious and charitable activities while seeking to stifle the group's political activities. This is evidenced by the regime's efforts to completely halt the Brotherhood's activities through a successful securitization process during the Nasser era and after the 2011 revolution, which enabled the Egyptian regime to implement violent extraordinary measures against the Brotherhood following the expansion of the group's political capabilities, which posed a large threat to the rule of the military regime in Egypt. In other words, The Egyptian army regime systematically cracked down on the brotherhood whenever the group's influence grew in the political sphere. Additionally, the research highlights the utilization by the Sisi regime of Nasserist security strategies in dealing with the Brotherhood.