The Paradox of Legalism: The Instrumentalization of Law, the Militarization of Governance, and the Consolidation of Authoritarianism in Post-2011 Egypt

Mohamed Elgohari

Advisor: John G. Dale, PhD, Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Committee Members: Lester Kurtz, Ben Manski

Horizon Hall, #6323 and Zoom
April 23, 2025, 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Abstract:

This dissertation examines the paradoxical role of law in Egypt’s post-2011 political landscape, demonstrating how legal mechanisms have been systematically instrumentalized to consolidate authoritarian rule. Rather than serving as a foundation for justice and governance, law has functioned as a central tool for power consolidation, military dominance, and the suppression of dissent. Instead of countering authoritarianism, it has legitimized repression under the guise of legality, ultimately entrenching authoritarian rule in Egypt.

Tracing the evolution of Egypt’s legal and political governance from the Free Officers Movement in 1952 to the rise of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, this study highlights the enduring role of legal frameworks in reinforcing military hegemony and consolidating authoritarianism. Through historical analysis, it examines how constitutional amendments, emergency laws, judicial restructuring, and legal decrees have been deployed to centralize power, expand military control over civilian institutions, and suppress democratic contestation.

Situating Egypt’s post-2011 legal transformations within broader theoretical discussions on authoritarian resilience, the state of exception, and the militarization of governance, this research employs an interdisciplinary approach that integrates archival research, legal analysis, and political sociology. It explores how law has been weaponized to construct a system of legal authoritarianism that not only legitimizes repression but also reconfigures state power to ensure military supremacy.

By investigating the instrumentalization of law in authoritarian consolidation, this dissertation contributes to scholarship on legal authoritarianism, civil-military relations, and the sociology of law. It also challenges conventional theories of democratization by demonstrating how authoritarian regimes manipulate legal frameworks to sustain power under the pretext of legality and security imperatives. Furthermore, it examines the law’s dual role in governance—as both a mechanism of repression and a potential site of contestation. By contextualizing Egypt’s trajectory within the broader patterns of authoritarian legalism, this study offers critical insights into how legal frameworks shape the endurance and adaptability of authoritarian regimes.

Join us in person or on Zoom: https://to.gmu.edu/Elgohari