Beyond Sectarianism in the Middle East?

The concept of sectarianism is often problematic because it leads to simplistic analysis and fails to take into account a range of other factors such as power politics in understanding conflict. The term itself carries derogatory connotations and is often used expansively to denote a range of in-group/out-group associations. Primordialist, Ethnonationalist and Instrumentalist explanations for sectarianism posit grand narratives that are often generalized and too deterministic. A useful lens, therefore, is Constructivist Realism that focuses on processes whereby particular identities, such as sect, become more or less salient. Constructivist Realism strikes the appropriate balance between structure and agency, acknowledging that actors make their own history but not in circumstances of their making.