Schism

Simon Mabon is professor of international politics and director of the Sectarianism, Proxies and De-Sectarianisation project at Lancaster University. He is the author of books including The Struggle for Supremacy in the Middle East and Houses Built on Sand: Violence, Sectarianism and Revolution in the Middle East.

“A timely and sophisticated tour of the complex politics of sectarianism across the Middle East. Mabon debunks sensationalist accounts and offers essential perspective on the changing role of identities and religion.”—Marc Lynch, author of America’s Middle East“A sharp and informed interrogation of the meaning of sectarianism as a frame for understanding the Middle East. Mabon examines the real world politics of multi-ethnic states, and demonstrates that sectarianism should be thought of as a process, not as a consequence of fixed identities. Indispensable reading.”—Juan Cole, author of Muhammad“A masterful excavation of how politics consumes faith. Mabon walks us to the edge of the Middle East’s faultlines, and shows how elites weaponise identity to survive. Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the region’s schisms, and the people trapped within them.”—Ali Hashem, war correspondent“This book offers a masterful exploration of sectarianism in the modern Middle East, examining its complexities through the region’s history and development. It is essential reading for policymakers, students, and researchers alike.”—Raihan Ismail, author of Rethinking Salafism