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AbstractThis paper argues that a long view perspective of contemporary sectarianism between Sunni and Shia Islam in the Middle East could be read on the background of earlier forms of sectarianism going back to the 19th and 20th century history of the region. Such an approach would disentangle sectarianism from primordial narratives as an intrinsic problem of Islam going back to the early schism of the 7th century and place it in social formations and social practices, and link it to the emergence of sectarianism during the Ottoman age of reforms. It would explicit arguments that link sectarianism with modernism, discussing how the emergence of modern, secular institutions that were based in early‐modern millet system led to sects and sectarianism. The outcome of this approach is conceptualization of sect and sectarianism, its categorization, and confronting it with other modern narratives of the history of the Middle East.

PurposeThe aim of this piece of research was to detail the scope and nature of sectarianism as experienced by employees, managers and those with trade union responsibilities, in the Northern Ireland workplace.Design/methodology/approachFour large organizations, two from the private and two from the public sector, were recruited to take part in this qualitative study. In‐depth interviews were carried out with managers and trade union personnel. Focus groups were run with employees.FindingsData were submitted to thematic analysis. The major themes to emerge included: the extent of experienced sectarianism, sources of sectarianism, the nature of sectarian harassment, "tolerable" sectarianism, and the management of difference.Research limitations/implicationsShort‐comings of the study include the possibility that social desirability effects could have operated to underplay sectarian attitudes. Again the limitations of a qualitative methodology in providing estimates of the extent of sectarianism in the broader population are acknowledged.Practical implicationsPractical implications of the findings for controlling sectarianism and managing diversity are discussed in terms of organizational formalization, the promotion of a common ingroup workforce identity, and the informal procedures used by employees to manage difference on a day‐to‐day basis.Originality/valueThe study is particularly pertinent, given that there has been little attempt to capture the experiences of sectarianism in workplaces from the perspective of managers, employees and trade union personnel.

This article explores the relationship between nationalism and "sectarianism"1 in contemporary Scotland. Constitutional disruptions have reopened fault lines around religion, ethnicity, and a "clash" of nationalisms. Sectarianism, which had long been ostensibly confined to residual culture, frequently features in media and political discourses. At the heart of debates is the question of contested national identities – Scottish, British, and Irish. Based on qualitative research with football supporters in Glasgow, this article examines how identities are reproduced and negotiated in people's everyday lives. While Scotland has undergone significant political, socio-economic, and cultural shifts which have disrupted traditional patterns of belonging, the legacy of sectarianism is relevant in how people negotiate these changes and make sense of competing aspects of their identities. Further, participants' narratives suggest that these tensions can influence political behaviours, particularly as the binary nature of referendums poses challenges for reconciling multiple layers of identity.