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    Similarities And Differences Between Sunnis And Shi'ites

    Number of Pages: 7

     

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    7 pages in length. Aside from their defense of respective nationalistic identity, the primary difference between Sunnis and Shi'ites is how the former respects the fundamentality of power in a pragmatic sense as opposed to how the latter looks at it as it should be within the context of an ideal world. It is important to point out, however, that these differences did not always define the relationship between Sunnis and Shi'ites, who lived peacefully as interwoven offspring of mixed families until the social, cultural and political upheaval that accompanied Muhammad's death. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

    Name of Research Paper File: LM1_TLCsunishi.rtf

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    a pragmatic sense as opposed to how the latter looks at it as it should be within the context of an ideal world. It is important to point out,  however, that these differences did not always define the relationship between Sunnis and Shiites, who lived peacefully as interwoven offspring of mixed families until the social, cultural and political upheaval  that accompanied Muhammads death. Now, as Iraq exists in turmoil today, the hatred since cultivated has become the identifying factor of the historic conflict that Feldman (2006) argues happens  "when government collapses and there is no state around capable of guaranteeing personal security." Examining the concept of conformity and how it relates to the Sunnis verses the Shiites is  best illustrated by Huntington (1998) who explains how the variables that distinguish one civilization from another - history, religion, tradition, language - are critical in their instigation of global conflict.  That "these divisions are deep and increasing in importance" (Huntington, 1998) speaks to the growing nature of cultural battle lines that Sunnis and Shiites erected out of differing social  perspectives. Huntington (1998) further points out how the United States is particularly vulnerable to a predominance of both political and personal assaults from such Islamic militancy due to its  high profile appearance in the overall nature of global intercourse. In its quest to democratize all oppressive nations, America has duly alienated those who interpret such brazenness as a  tremendous threat to their religious existence. The relationship between social perception and social cognition illustrates how the attitudes created by individual ideologies -- whether based in fact or opinion --  serve to establish the precedent of whether opposing factions will be tolerant of rivals or be compelled to engage in identity struggles. These concepts apply to both Sunnis verses 

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