CONCEPTULISING SECT AND SECTARIANISM: A HOLISTIC INTERPRETATION

Conceptualising sect and sectarianism has still been a matter of debate. It is generally held that these concepts relate to the sociology of religion; however, their etymological evolution and interdisciplinary applications have led to substantial ambiguity in both scholarly and public understanding. Different etymological versions are specified regarding their historical origins and meanings, but no disgusting meaning has been reported. Initially, the use of terms was unbiased; however, the modern concept is markedly different from the historical one, which is based on a politicised, narrow viewpoint. The paper aims to explore the evolution of these connotations while highlighting the disjunction between their etymological history and modern concepts. The study applies a qualitative methodology by employing a multi-theoretical and interdisciplinary approach to discuss its dynamics, mechanisms and implications. A key finding of this study reveals that sectarianism has become a multi-dimensional and multi-faceted phenomenon today, encompassing historical, cultural, ethnic, political, and economic perspectives; therefore, it cannot be appraised exclusively in terms of a socio-religious phenomenon. However, its economic perspective has not gained the pertinent attention of scholars to delineate its role and implications.