Sunni Islamist Reconfiguration and Sectarian Polarization in Wartime Yemen
Type de matériel :
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Coming four years after the peaceful mobilizations of the “Arab Spring” of 2011, the Yemeni conflict is often hastily interpreted in geopolitical terms as an expression of the sectarian rivalry opposing Saudi Arabia and Iran. We seek to move beyond this approach, examining the politico-religious reconfigurations that have taken place in this country since 2013 in a context of violent conflict. This article considers the processes by which, breaking with a particular sectarian arrangement, the Sunni-Shia polarization was constructed and the effects thereby produced within the Sunni Islamist field. The relegation of the al-Islah party, which represents the Muslim Brotherhood, has been accompanied by the growing power of Salafist entrepreneurs. This dynamic is a sign of the reconfiguration of mobilized resources and affirms the prestige of military engagement. We therefore consider the armed conflict a privileged moment for observing processes of identity construction as they are reflected in the statements of Islamist entrepreneurs, the alliances created at the front and confrontations.
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