Politics despite the war: Yemeni political elites in Cairo
Year: 2022
Type: report
Abstract: Seven years of war in Yemen have wrought widespread destruction and economic devastation and seen hundreds of thousands flee from their home country. Like many of their compatriots, a great number of Yemeni politicians now live abroad, where most struggle to maintain their power and relevance. While attention often centers on leaders of warring factions, this paper examines the situation of (once) influential Yemeni politicians as they try to preserve their positions and local connections in exile, eyeing the challenges and opportunities of a post-war environment.In order to do so, this paper focuses on Cairo, one of the regional hubs where Yemeni politics has reorganized since the conflict’s outbreak, and where many political elites have found refuge. It examines how their geographical resettlement has impacted their lives and capacity to act politically. Political elites here are defined as individuals who consider themselves (and are considered) “professional” politicians. They have made a career and generated an income from their activities and positions within political parties or central, specialized institutions of government. This includes elected representatives as well as senior civil servants and leaders of major political parties, active and retired. Rather than dismissing them as irrelevant to the dynamics of the war, this paper studies political elites sociologically. This means examining their practices, resources and discourses, as well as their roles in remodeling institutional orders.
Source: HAL AMU
Author: Poirier, Marine
Language: Arabic
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4313434814