Exploring Sectarian Identity in Islam

Although the sectarian labels of Sunni and Shi’a are widely used today to cover a range of identities and beliefs held by Muslims across the Islamic World, there are many foundational questions remaining over the origins of sectarian identity in Islam as well as its implications across time. The field has largely understudied theories of sectarianism and the precise applications of Sunni and Shi’a labels, including the content of their beliefs and the boundaries between them, largely remain an open debate to historians, political scientists, and others alike. This discussion will cover some of the main theoretical, methodological, and thematic issues relating to the study of sectarianism, Shi’a and Sunni identities, and the challenges in understanding what these labels mean over time and in the larger field of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies.

Speakers: 

Dr. Ahmed El Shamsy, Professor of Islamic Thought, University of Chicago

Dr. Mohammad Sagha, Lecturer in the Modern Middle East, Harvard University

Moderator: 

Dr. Mohsen Goudarzi, Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies, Harvard Divinity School

Time: Friday, Nov. 15th, 3pm EST

Location: Swartz Hall, Room 120 (James Room East) + Online Option

This is an in person event with a hybrid option. Registration is required:

**REGISTER HERE**

Cosponsors:  Alwaleed Islamic Studies Program, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations (NELC)