Tamir Moustafa, ed. “The Politics of Domination: Law and Resistance in Authoritarian States.” In The Struggle For Constitutional Power: Law, Politics, And Economic Development In Egypt. pp. 19-56 Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
This article argues that entrenched authoritarian regimes strengthen judicial institutions to consolidate power by attracting investment, enforcing bureaucratic discipline, maintaining elite coalitions, and legitimizing controversial reforms. However, this judicial strengthening also creates new spaces for legal professionals and activists to challenge the state, leading to a dynamic “judicialization of authoritarian politics.” In this contested arena, attorneys play a critical role as both instruments of the regime and agents of resistance, navigating the tensions between consolidating authoritarian control and enabling legal challenges that complicate state authority.