Sectarian Politics in the Persian Gulf - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 019937726X ISBN 13: 9780199377268

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA, 2014

Synopsis

Long a taboo topic, as well as one that has alarmed outside powers, sectarian conflict in the Middle East is on the rise. The contributors to this book examine sectarian politics in the Persian Gulf, including the GCC states, Yemen, Iran and Iraq, and consider the origins and con- sequences of sectarianism broadly construed, as it affects ethnic, tribal and religious groups. They also present a theoretical and comparative framework for understanding sectarianism, as well as country-specific chapters based on recent research in the area. Key issues that are scrutinised include the nature of sectarianism, how identity moves from a passive to an active state, and the mechanisms that trigger conflict. The strategies of governments such as rentier economies and the 'invention' of partisan national histories that encourage or manage sectarian differences are also highlighted, as is the role of outside powers in fostering sectarian strife. The volume also seeks to clarify whether movements such as the Islamic revival or the Arab Spring obscure the continued salience of religious and ethnic cleavages.

About this title

About the Author

Lawrence G. Potter is Adjunct Associate Professor of International Affairs at Columbia University and Deputy Director of the Gulf/2000 Project. He holds a PhD in History and has edited six volumes on the Persian Gulf.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 019937726X
• ISBN 13: 9780199377268
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 359
• Editor: Potter Lawrence G