A discussion on what’s driving the spread of Sunni-Shi’a identity politics in today’s Middle East and how sectarianism is contributing to the region’s instability and conflicts.

The states of the Arab Gulf have been defined by their unique combination of economic generosity and political parsimony—a system preserved by vast resource wealth and traditional institutions of governance that have managed to retain a preponderance of legitimacy.

Bahrain’s Shi‘a-led demonstrations were quickly followed by Sunni-led counter-protests. Do these new movements represent a genuine shift in the political landscape?