You know, shu3ubiyya was a movement to dethrone Arabs as the leaders of Islam that has involved Berbers & Arameans, but in Iraq it’s meant to refer to the Persian shu3ubiyya. It was a very serious issue at the time, but wasn’t heard of much again until Arab Nationalism. Then the term was revived & applied to Iraqi Shi3a in general & every Shi3i was under suspicion of being shu3ubi & conspiring with Persians against Arabs until he proved otherwise. Many Shi3ia were deported from Iraq with claims that they had Persian or Indian blood.
& there was a real obsession with ta2ifiyya (sectarianism). Anyone who objected to discrimination was denounced as being ta2ifi, a traitor to Iraq, & probably a Persian or a Zionist.
Your historical insight (re: “shu’ubiyya “) is appreciated. many are let to believe that Arabism is “innocent unity”.