Beyond Sunni and Shia: The Roots of Sectarianism in a Changing Middle East

🕌 Beyond Sunni and Shia: The Roots of Sectarianism in a Changing Middle East – Paperback Edition

A groundbreaking exploration of sectarianism beyond religious labels.

Beyond Sunni and Shia challenges conventional narratives about sectarian divides in the Muslim world. Rather than viewing Sunni-Shia conflict as an ancient or unchanging reality, this scholarly yet accessible volume reveals how political, economic, and social forces have shaped — and often manipulated — sectarian identities in the modern Middle East.

Spanning countries like Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf, this collection brings together leading voices in political science, sociology, Islamic studies, and history. Drawing on field research and primary sources, the essays examine how governments, clerical elites, social media, and non-state actors have strategically used sectarianism to pursue power, influence, and control.

📘 What You’ll Learn:

• How sectarian identities evolve in response to shifting power structures

• The role of social media and grassroots movements in shaping perceptions

• Case studies from key Middle Eastern states

• How sectarianism is often a tool — not a root cause — of conflict

📖 Product Details:

• Format: Paperback

• Language: English
  

• Genre: Political Science, Middle East Studies, Islamic Studies

• Ideal for: Students, scholars, policy professionals, and informed readers of global affairs

🔖 An essential read for understanding the modern politics of identity in the Muslim world.