Toby Matthiesen

Toby Matthiesen is a Senior Lecturer in Global Religious Studies at the University of Bristol's Department of Religion and Theology. His research examines sectarianism, Middle East politics, and Sunni-Shia relations with a focus on Gulf states.

Matthiesen analyzes how religious identities intersect with political power structures, particularly during periods of regional upheaval like the Arab Spring. His work investigates state manipulation of sectarian identities as governance strategies during political crises.

His publications explore how Gulf regimes responded to protest movements through sectarian framing and the consequences of these policies for regional stability. Matthiesen's research combines political analysis with historical contextualization of sectarian dynamics.