Introduction , Sectarianism, geopolitics and De-Sectarianization in the Middle East , Simon Mabon., University of Lancaster, UK; & Ana Kumarasamy, University of Lancaster, UK Section I: Politics of Sectarinianism Chapter 1: Politics of Sectarinism in Iraq , Harith Hasan, The Carnegie Middle East Center, USA Chapter 2: Taif at Thirty: A Revolution against Orientalism, Madonna Kalousian: Lancaster University, UK Chapter 3: The Weakness of Sovereignty in Authoritarian Regimes, Samuel Peter Mace, Leeds University, UK Chapter 4: De-essentializing Sectarianism: A Study of Iran's Regional Politics, Chimat Ladol, Jawaharlal Nehru University, UK Section II: Regional Dynamics & Proxies Chapter 5: The Spectre of Geopolitically Charged Sectarianism, Ibrahim Halawi, Royal Holloway, UK Chapter 6: The Deal of Discontent Saudi Arabia, Iran & the Nuclear Deal, Olivia Isabell Glombitza, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, UK Chapter 7: Securitization through Sectarianization in Bahrain, Samira Nasirzadeh, Lancaster University, UK Chapter 8: Bridging Ethno-Religious Divides by Proxy? Non-State Sponsorship and Sectarianism in the Middle East, Michel Wyss, Military Academy, Switzerland Chapter 9: The Importance of Framing Conflicts-Building the Narrative of a Proxy War in Yemen, Maria-Louise Clausen: Danish Institute for International Studies, Denmark Chapter 10: Sectarianism and Civil Wars in the MENA Region, Francesco Belcastro: University of Derby, UK Section III: De-sectarianization Chapter 11: Iran's Soft Power in the Gulf from Islamic Revolution to Post Intra Gulf Crisis, Nesibe Hicret Battaloglu, Middle East Technical University, Turkey Chapter 12: Discursive De-Secterianization: Re-Ordering Saudi Foreign and Domestic Policy Making, Umer Karim, University of Birmingham, UK Chapter 13: How to Understand the Role of Al-Azhar in the Sunni-Shi'i Rapprochement?, Hossam Ed-Deen Allam, Lancaster University, UK Conclusion, Samira Nasirzadeh, University of Lancaster, UK; Elias Ghazal, University of Lancaster, UK; Eyad Alrefai, University of Lancaster, UK; Ana Kumarasamy, University of Lancaster, UK.