| ID | 163456 |
| Title Proper | Origins of sectarianism in Egypt and the Fertile Crescent |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Hazran, Yusri |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | This paper differs from previous studies in arguing that sectarianism has overwhelmingly been created consensually by/or as a result of the elites’ behavioral patterns. Religious or communal pluralism does not categorically lead to political sectarianism; The development of pluralism into political sectarianism can thus be adduced as dependent upon other factors—first and foremost the behavioural patterns of the elite. While the imperial legacy, theological controversies, and socio-economic gaps feed political sectarianism, in and of themselves they are insufficient to cause it. A survey of the history of Egypt and the other countries in the Fertile Crescent reveals that the development of political sectarianism or sectarian violence has been organically linked to elites' political behaviors and interests. sectarianism takes the form of the instrumental exploitation of a religious or communal identity or framework in order to enable political organization, the gaining of political legitimacy, the promotion of political change, or the preservation of the control held by interest groups. While in the eyes of many critics, sectarianism forms a striking example of the elites' intrinsic weakness, sectarianism is first and foremost a product of the elites’ quest for power.
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| `In' analytical Note | British Journal of Middle East Studies Vol. 46, 1,Feb-2019; p 29-49 |
| Journal Source | British Journal of Middle East Studies Vol: 46 No 1 |
| Key Words | Egypt ; Socio-Economic ; Sectarianism |