Work

The Shia factor: Intra-Islamist dynamics and the growth of armed Islamism

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Conflict research is increasingly interested in grasping the exponential growth of armed Islamist groups in armed conflict over the past 50 years. Yet a crucial flaw of existing scholarship is that it misses the Shia factor – it overwhelmingly focuses on Sunni Islamists, with adverse empirical and theoretical implications. This article introduces the first comprehensive dataset of 228 major armed Sunni and Shia Islamist groups that have operated in armed conflict between 1945 and 2021 – DASSIG (Dataset of Armed Sunni and Shia Islamist Groups). The analysis shows the importance of including the Shia factor, by pointing to similarities and differences in the patterns, timings and locations of the evolution of armed Shia and Sunni Islamisms and by arguing that cross-sect interactions (positive and negative) between armed Islamist groups have significantly fuelled the growth of the phenomenon over time. More broadly, these findings call for further disaggregation in studies of the role of ideology/religion and how it intersects with other factors in conflicts.

Source: International Political Science Review

DOI: 10.1177/01925121261466138

Authors: Raphaël Lefèvre, Jeroen Gunning, Morten Valbjørn

Institutions: University of Bristol, King's College London, Aarhus University

Language: English

Topic: Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650