Islamist political parties in the Middle East topic of April 30 talk at Rice’s Baker Institute

Shadi Hamid, a fellow in the Brookings Institution’s Saban Center for Middle East Policy, will discuss his new book “Temptations of Power: Islamists and Illiberal Democracy in a New Middle East” at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy April 30.

The talk is free and open to the public and will be at 6 p.m. in Baker Hall’s Doré Commons. A reception and book signing will follow.

Andrew Bowen, Baker Institute scholar for the Middle East and director of the institute’s Levant Program, will give introductory remarks.

As long as the battle over the role of religion in public life continues, Islamist political parties in the Middle East will remain an important force — whether in the ranks of opposition or the halls of power, according to event organizers. In his presentation, Hamid will discuss his book and provide a timely and provocative account of where the region’s Islamist groups have come from and where they might be headed, organizers said.

In “Temptations of Power,” Hamid draws on interviews with leaders and activists from across the region to advance a new understanding of how Islamist movements change over time. He puts forward the thesis that repression forced Islamists to moderate their politics, work in coalitions, de-emphasize Islamic law and set aside the dream of an Islamic state.

For more information and to register, visit http://bakerinstitute.org/events/1641. A live webcast will be available at http://bakerinstitute.org/webcasts.