Surveying the Historiography of Sectarianism in Pakistan: Trends, Patterns and Challenges

Abstract

The historiography of sectarianism in Pakistan is a significant field of study; however, a deeper examination of available literature reveals that it has rarely been the core focus of historians. Conversely, most of the studies have been carried out by scholars pertaining to different fields, such as, social scientists, political scientists, security analysts and journalists. Notably, very few works fully or even partially meet the standard need set for historiography; rather, each tends to represent its own peripheral framework to construct a particular discourse. To contextualize the subject matter, this paper examines the major historical narratives and approaches employed by different scholars to understand the trends, patterns, and challenges of this phenomenon within a historical framework. The research employs qualitative content analysis of secondary sources, with the literature review serving as both the foundation and method of inquiry. Although it is not possible to cover all available works, however, the most significant and relevant studies have been highlighted, with particular focus on Shia–Sunni divisions. It is one of the core limitations of this research. This study is the first attempt in Pakistan, or elsewhere, to present an integrated, chronological account aimed at furnishing both historical and contemporary understandings of historiography of sectarianism in Pakistan. The finding of this study reveals that the historiography of sectarianism is fundamentally a multidimensional field of study.