Although the popular uprisings of 2011 were not driven by Islamist forces, it is the Islamist movements, and the Muslim Brotherhood in particular, that have filled the power vacuums that opened up with the collapse of the regimes of the region. How did they do it and how will they manage their new political role?In this authoritative analysis, Alison Pargeter follows the twists and turns of the Muslim Brotherhood as it battled through the years of oppression under authoritarian regimes to finally become a key and legitimate political actor. From Egypt and Syria to Tunisia and Libya, theBrotherhood and its affiliates are now faced with the complex task of transforming themselves from semi-clandestine opposition movements into legitimate political actors and, in some cases, into ruling powers.This detailed and definitive work is the essential guide to understanding the forces shaping the Arab world today.

Introduction Chapter One: The Egyptian Ikhwan: The Burden of Tradition (updated up to the eve of the revolution)Chapter Two: From Diplomacy to Arms and Back to Diplomacy: The Evolution of the Syrian IkhwanChapter Three: The International Tanzeem: Myth or Reality?Chapter Four: The Ikhwan in EuropeChapter Five: The Ikhwan and ViolenceChapter Six: The Arab Spring: From Opposition to Power (new chapter)Conclusion