Abstract
Using social constructivism, this research analyzes Hezbollah as a norm entrepreneur in the Middle East. My research question is: How does Hezbollah function as a norm entrepreneur in the Middle East or how does Hezbollah create the norm of resistance? Material resistance is created through institutionalized ideas, such as jihad, martyrdom, the oppressed/oppressor dichotomy, and anti-imperialism. Special attention is given to the shifts in Hezbollah’s ideology. These ideas were physically expressed in the 2006 war with Israel and currently in Syria. However, since Hezbollah’s involvement in Syria, Hezbollah’s norm of resistance has waned. Its alternative definition of resistance is not accepted by many across the region who perceive Hezbollah as a puppet of an oppressive regime. The popularity and legitimacy Hezbollah enjoyed following its “Divine Victory” in 2006 has since been jeopardized in favour of rescuing the resistance bloc and resisting what it constructs as a plot to re-make the Middle East.
Department
Political Science Department
Degree Name
MA in Political Science
Graduation Date
6-1-2016
Submission Date
May 2016
First Advisor
McMahon, Sean
Committee Member 1
Badawi, Nesrine
Committee Member 2
Kazziha, Walid
Extent
132 p.
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Rights
The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy.
Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval
Not necessary for this item
Recommended Citation
APA Citation
Elbenhawy, A.
(2016).Hezbollah as a norm entrepreneur: Reconstructing resistance and legitimacy [Master's Thesis, the American University in Cairo]. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/293
MLA Citation
Elbenhawy, Ali. Hezbollah as a norm entrepreneur: Reconstructing resistance and legitimacy. 2016. American University in Cairo, Master's Thesis. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/293