Religion And Society

Abstract

Abstract As the Middle East is the celebrated cradle of monotheism, it is perhaps no surprise that religious questions figure in its modern history as well. Indeed, from the break-up of the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth century to the rise of Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the story of the modern Middle East might be characterized as merely an updating of religious strife that has characterized regional politics and the relation of ‘East and West’ for centuries. But religion does not transcend other historical processes—it is part of them. The rise of ethnic nationalism and liberal ideals has triggered religious responses that have contributed sometimes to discord and sometimes to a new sense of unity. Furthermore, seeing religion as the root cause of conflicts ignores the diversity that exists within religious traditions in the Middle East and the ways in which that diversity can affect local debates about the nature of society.