Workshop: Sectarianism in the Middle East
Sectarian conflict and polarisation has become a key feature of Middle East politics in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings of 2011. This workshop looked at some of the key drivers of this, such as the troubled legacy of foreign intervention, state failure, regional rivalries between Saudi Arabia, Iran and others, ruling strategies of authoritarian regimes as well as the spread of identity and sect-based political movements. With in-depth analysis of the two key arenas of sectarian conflict in the contemporary Middle East, Syria and Iraq, and a paper on the consequences of state collapse, this publication looks also tries to make recommendations how the EU could help reduce sectarian tensions.
In-Depth Analysis
External author
Dr Toby MATTHIESEN, St Antony's College, Oxford University, Dr Simon MABON, Lancaster University ; Dr Renad MANSOUR, Chatham House, Dr Raphael LEFÈVRE, Oxford University
About this document
Publication type
Policy area
Keyword
- Arab world
- Asia and Oceania
- civil war
- common foreign and security policy
- contemporary history
- economic geography
- European construction
- EUROPEAN UNION
- executive power and public service
- GEOGRAPHY
- geopolitics
- governance
- humanities
- INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- international security
- Iran
- Iraq
- LAW
- political framework
- political geography
- political situation
- POLITICS
- politics and public safety
- regional security
- religious conflict
- religious discrimination
- rights and freedoms
- rule of law
- Saudi Arabia
- SCIENCE
- settlement of disputes
- state-building
- Syria
- the EU's international role