Contextualizing Sectarianism in the Middle East and South Asia: Identity, Competition and Conflict

States across the Muslim world face challenges associated with a perpetual cycle of conflict and violence organized along sectarian lines. To understand modern-day sectarianism, it is essential to engage in interdisciplinary and multidirectional examinations to better understand how sectarianism is strategically utilized by political entrepreneurs. This volume seeks to fill gaps in understanding the complexities associated with sectarianism through a transnational interdisciplinary analytical framework to enhance understanding of the socio-political, religio-political, cultural, and security landscapes of the Middle East and South Asia. It also challenges narratives regarding sectarian divisions between Sunnis and Shias and deconstructs popular misconceptions about sectarianism, its spatial and temporal impact, and its influence on identities, conflict, and competition.

Format: Hardback
Length: 180 pages
Publication date: 25 July 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The challenges facing states across the Muslim world are complex and multifaceted, rooted in a perpetual cycle of conflict and violence that is organized along sectarian lines. To fully understand the nature of modern-day sectarianism, it is essential to move beyond explanations that solely focus on ancient Sunni-Shia animosities or a singular lens. Instead, we must engage in interdisciplinary and multidirectional examinations to gain a deeper understanding of how sectarianism is strategically utilized by political entrepreneurs. Moreover, while religious identities and how individuals define themselves and their communities are crucial, it is equally important to analyze how identity has been employed in historical and contemporary political contexts on both state and non-state levels.

This volume aims to bridge gaps in our understanding of sectarianism by employing a transnational interdisciplinary analytical framework. By doing so, we hope to enhance our comprehension of the socio-political, religio-political, cultural, and security landscapes of the Middle East and South Asia. Furthermore, this volume challenges narratives regarding sectarian divisions between Sunnis and Shias and deconstructs popular misconceptions about sectarianism, its spatial and temporal impact, as well as its influence on identities, conflict, and competition.

The intended audience for this volume includes scholars and researchers specializing in the Middle East and South Asia, as well as those with interests in history, politics, international relations, international security, religion, and sociology. By exploring the complexities of sectarianism through a multidisciplinary lens, we aim to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of this critical issue and its implications for the region and beyond.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032346274