| ID | 183889 |
| Title Proper | Sectarianization and Memory in the post-Saddam Middle East |
| Other Title Information | the ‘Alāqima |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Neggaz, Nassima |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | The literature on sectarianism, its causes and intricate workings, has increased considerably since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. This article focuses on the discursive strategies employed by a set of actors seeking to persuade their audiences of a permanent and insoluble rift between Sunnis and Shi’a, stigmatized as the ‘Alāqima. It offers a case study of a particular historical episode: the fall of Baghdad and the Abbasid Caliphate during the Mongol invasion of 1258. It argues that, since 2003, this event has been recast in a narrative emphasizing Shi’i betrayal and Sunni victimhood by different groups of actors (political figures, religious clerics, jihadist groups, etc.) who manipulate this grand narrative to fulfil specific socio-political goals (mobilization, recruitment, etc.) and rely on mechanisms of diffusion strongly based on social media. Methodologically, it demonstrates the critical relevance of sociologist Margaret Somers’ ‘narrative identity approach.’ According to this approach, ‘people construct identities (…) by locating themselves or being located within a repertoire of emplotted stories.’ It calls for de-sectarianization strategies that address these discourses and narratives, particularly in the online sphere. |
| `In' analytical Note | British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies Vol. 49, No.1; Feb 2022: p.159-176 |
| Journal Source | British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies Vol: 49 No 1 |
| Key Words | Sectarianization ; Post-Saddam Middle East ; Alāqima |