Article Version of Record

Die-hard Mubarak supporters: A cultural perspective

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Henry, Hani M.

Abstract / Description

This study examined the persistent sympathetic response of some Egyptian citizens towards ousted president Hosni Mubarak despite his indictment for killing hundreds of peaceful demonstrators. These individuals have been occasionally characterized as victims of the so-called "Stockholm Syndrome," which was defined by mental health professionals as the tendency of victims to develop positive emotional bond towards their victimizers. However, a thematic analysis of interviews conducted with ten Mubarak supporters suggests that their sympathetic response towards the former president might be attributed to their observance of certain collectivistic values, such as filial piety and communalism. These collectivistic values might help explain why these supporters respected Mubarak as both a father and authority figure. Further, the analysis suggests that this sympathetic response was influenced by religious values and outgroup blaming. Social and political implications of this study are discussed.

Keyword(s)

collectivism filial piety communalism Mubarak Egyptian revolution authoritarianism Stockholm Syndrome

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2015-11-16

Journal title

Journal of Social and Political Psychology

Volume

3

Issue

2

Page numbers

238–252

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Henry, H. M. (2015). Die-hard Mubarak supporters: A cultural perspective. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 3(2), 238–252. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v3i2.281
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Henry, Hani M.
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-26T12:44:38Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-26T12:44:38Z
  • Date of first publication
    2015-11-16
  • Abstract / Description
    This study examined the persistent sympathetic response of some Egyptian citizens towards ousted president Hosni Mubarak despite his indictment for killing hundreds of peaceful demonstrators. These individuals have been occasionally characterized as victims of the so-called "Stockholm Syndrome," which was defined by mental health professionals as the tendency of victims to develop positive emotional bond towards their victimizers. However, a thematic analysis of interviews conducted with ten Mubarak supporters suggests that their sympathetic response towards the former president might be attributed to their observance of certain collectivistic values, such as filial piety and communalism. These collectivistic values might help explain why these supporters respected Mubarak as both a father and authority figure. Further, the analysis suggests that this sympathetic response was influenced by religious values and outgroup blaming. Social and political implications of this study are discussed.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Henry, H. M. (2015). Die-hard Mubarak supporters: A cultural perspective. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 3(2), 238–252. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v3i2.281
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2195-3325
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1374
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1688
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v3i2.281
  • Keyword(s)
    collectivism
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    filial piety
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    communalism
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    Mubarak
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    Egyptian revolution
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    authoritarianism
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    Stockholm Syndrome
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Die-hard Mubarak supporters: A cultural perspective
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    2
  • Journal title
    Journal of Social and Political Psychology
  • Page numbers
    238–252
  • Volume
    3
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record