The Role of Identity in Formation of the Al-Houthi Movement in Yemen

Since the 1962 coup in Yemen, Zaydi Shiites, in spite of their demographic, geographical, historical and religious significance, have been isolated by the central government. Not only they have not played a significant role in Yemen’s political structure, but also they have been subjected to identity destruction. In the meantime, the Al-Houthi as an identity movement attempted to “produce resistance” viaa- vis the pressures arising from oppression, domination and marginalization of the Zaydi Shiites at the hand of the central government. Relying on Zaydieh’s identity foundations and pursuing social, political, and military activities, they have acted politically through the “Resistance Identity” and seek to revive the Zaydi identity. This article seeks to analyze the role of identity in the formation of the Al-Houthi movement in Yemen by drawing upon a constructivist approach. So, the main question of the paper is: what role did identity play in the formation of the Houthi movement? The hypothesis of the paper is that empowerment of the Al-Houthi movement and their conflict with the Yemeni central government are not reducible to external factors and ongoing conflicts at the regional level but it has an internal origin to restore the identity and lost rights of the Zaydi Shiites. It is based on the historical, religious and belief bases of the Zaydi Shiites.