The Changing Shape of the Middle East through the Prism of Interfaith Relations

Abstract

The main conclusion made by the author after analyzing changes in various areas of life in modern Middle Eastern states is that transformations in the Middle East are associated with interfaith relations but are not solely caused by them and are not necessarily a result of their deterioration. At present these changes can still be reversed but they may become irreversible in some aspects as a result of current trends. Universalization is the main trend that affects social relations in the region. It manifests itself both in the life of religious communities and in sociopolitical and economic regional contexts. There are shifts in the perception of the social role of religion and how religious relations are refracted in the political sphere. There is a discussion of the close connection between the religious self-perception of community members, on the one hand, and the form and nature of their participation in political processes, on the other. As a result, ideas of eliminating elements of political confessionalism (religion-based quotas in particular) are developing in a number of countries in the region. The author shows that changes in the religious picture of the world and self-perception of members of faith communities can be facilitated by both external and internal factors. The analysis of both groups of factors reveals their negative implications, such as the violation of the harmony of social relations and increase in various forms of social disintegration. These findings shed light on the deep level of socioeconomic and political-military crises that are destabilizing the situation in the Middle East region.