Sect

A sect is a subgroup that forms within or alongside a broader tradition and defines itself in contrast to that larger community. Sects typically emerge when members believe the dominant group has failed to uphold proper belief, practice, or authority. As a result, sects often emphasize purity, strict adherence, or exclusive interpretation and develop clear boundaries that regulate membership and behavior. The term describes a pattern of social organization and self-understanding rather than a judgment about legitimacy or truth. In historical and literary analysis, identifying a group as a sect helps explain its internal rules, rhetoric, and relationship to surrounding communities.