History glossary
sectarian
relating to conflict or politics organised around religious or communal divisions.
- Category
- Conflict dynamic
- Region
- Global
- Date range
- Varies
What it means
Sectarian describes politics, identity, or violence organised around religious or communal divisions. In post-2003 Iraq, sectarian conflict between Sunni and Shia communities became one of the most destructive consequences of state collapse and occupation.
Related terms
Stories using this term
The Maurya Empire
From Chandragupta's overthrow of the Nandas to Ashoka's edicts and the empire's fall, the Mauryas created the first imperial state to unite much of the Indian subcontinent.
The English Reformation
Henry VIII’s break with Rome reshaped religion, politics, and identity through decades of upheaval.
The World After The Cold War
From the fall of the Soviet Union to the rise of China and global terrorism, this story traces the turbulent reshaping of the international order after 1991.
The Ottoman Empire
From a small frontier principality in Anatolia, the Ottomans built a multiethnic empire across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa before reform, nationalism, and world war ended imperial rule.
The United States After 9/11
After 9/11, the United States launched the War on Terror, invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, expanded surveillance and homeland security, and entered a long era of costly war and deep political division.
