We are SEPAD High impact, international research from academics and policy makers working in the field
Background About Us
Recent Reports
After years of proxy war, Saudi Arabia and Iran are finally squaring up in the open Dr. Simon Mabon - 3rd Sep 2018

Ever since Saudi Arabia executed Shia Cleric Nimr al-Nimr for terrorist ...
Saudi Iranian Relations after the rise of Mohammad Bin Salman Dr. Simon Mabon - 3rd Sep 2018

The son of King Salman, Mohammad Bin Salman (MbS) had already been one o...
Studying sectarianism while beating dead horses and searching for third ways Morten Valbjørn - 20th Sep 2018

A pivotal piece by our research fellow, Morten Valbjørn, which consider...

What We Do

The Sectarianism, Proxies and De-sectarianisation (SEPAD) project based at Lancaster University’s Richardson Institute is a collaborative project aimed at understanding the conditions that give rise to sectarian violence and proxy conflicts.

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Sepad Reports

The View From Riyadh

Most analysis of the Saudi-Iranian rivalry seems to miss the fundamental points that underline the tension.1 Iran is trying to save itself from either foreign intervention or domestic unrest...

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Bahrain: The Epicentre of the Saudi-Iranian Rivalry?

For many, the archipelago of Bahrain is at the epicentre of the geopolitical and sect-based struggle between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Situated 16 kilometres from the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia, linked by the King Fahd Causeway, and 768 kilometres...

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The Securitisation of the ‘Masculinist’ other in the Syrian conflict

Amidst the violence that has spread across Syria since 2011, most scholarship concerned with the Syrianconflict has focused on questions related to how the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran has shaped the Syrian crisis.1 The escalat...

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Events

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Announcements

News: SEPAD receives funding from Carnegie Corporation of New York
News: SEPAD receives funding from Carnegie Corporation of New York Dr. Simon Mabon - 20th Aug 2018

The Richardson Institute is delighted to announce that it has received f...
Blog: Ontological Security and the Security of Sectarianism
Blog: Ontological Security and the Security of Sectarianism May Darwich - 3rd Sep 2018

In recent year, there has been an unprecedented increase in sectarianism...
Blog: Sectarianism in Not So Sectarian Places
Blog: Sectarianism in Not So Sectarian Places May Darwich - 3rd Sep 2018

There is wide consensus that the Middle East is currently plunged into s...
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SEPAD is supported by the following organisations

Carnegie Corporation of New York Lancaster University Richardson Institute The Foreign Policy Centre