Islamist opposition in authoritarian regimes : the Party of Justice and Development in Morocco /

Interest in Islamist parties has increased in parallel to the prospects of Islamist-led governments succeeding authoritarian regimes in the states of the Arab Spring along the Mediterranean. The timely publication of this book by Wegner (Univ. of Cape Town, South Africa) about the Islamist opposition party in Morocco precedes an unpredicted success of the spotlighted principals-members of the Party of Justice and Development--who have recently increased their authority after national elections. The "authoritarian political environment" of 1992-2007, the period under scrutiny, has shifted to favor opposition political challenges to monarchical domination, although the final authority of the king remains in place. Wegner weaves a tale of strategic decision-making about the "key factors" that "influence these parties' choices and thus their evolution." The book bears on an age-old interest among students of comparative government, the relationship of ideas to action and decision-making within restricted political environments. The author's systematic methods and familiarity with the game of Moroccan politics are both fascinating and revealing. A comparison with Jordan, another regime of monarchical supremacy, completes an inquiry of value to scholars and journalist observers of a rapidly shifting region. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. H. Glickman emeritus, Haverford College