Religious Pluralism in the Gulf: Paradoxes of Coexistence in a Modernizing State

Religious difference and religious pluralism constitute some of the most important issues facing the world in the twenty-first century. This thesis explores these issues in relation to the Sunni – Shi‘a dynamics in the Gulf. Focusing on the state of Qatar, the thesis problematizes existing frameworks for analyzing sectarianism in the region. Taking into consideration both historical accounts and demographic data, the research examines the ways in which national and migrant Shi‘a communities understand and interpret the available repertoire of narratives about the Qatari nation. The core of this work consists of interviews and fieldwork conducted among native and foreign Shi‘a communities in Qatar. I describe the perceived opportunities and challenges they face, as well as some of the strategies they use to navigate the Qatari context in their everyday life. I also examine some of the community gatherings and ritual practices of the Shi‘a population. The thesis seeks to evaluate the relative importance of sectarian affiliation in relation to other identity markers such as ethnicity and nationality. It tries to demonstrate how the particular conditions of a modernizing state like Qatar have enabled a configuration of Sunni – Shi‘a relations which differs from other Gulf countries and challenges mainstream assumptions about sectarianism.