Persistence of the Secular-Islamist Cleavage in Tunisia

• In Event: Secular-Religious Cleavage and Party Competition in Comparative Perspective

Abstract

Contemporary Tunisian politics — both under autocratic rule and during the democratic transition — has been characterized by a pronounced secular-Islamist cleavage. Drawing on survey data of Tunisian citizens and politicians, I show that this divide exists at both the level of politicians and the popular level. Views about the proper relationship of religious institutions to the state (i.e., views of secularism) are polarized and highly correlated with partisanship.

These contemporary patterns are important and reflect this persistent cleavage in Tunisian politics. In this paper, I examine the mechanisms of persistence of this important cleavage. I argue that schools and education are places where institutional and behavioral path dependencies reinforce one another in ways that support the long-run persistence of this cleavage. I examine Tunisian school textbooks to demonstrate how the Tunisian state projects a particular vision of secular and religious values. I also draw on public opinion data to show how different experiences with Tunisian schooling are linked to different positions along the Islamist-secular divide.

Author

• Alexandra Domike Blackman, Cornell University