Middle East Sectarianism

Catalog description

Middle East Sectarianism (3) Offers a sociological introduction to the sectarian politics of the Middle East. Students explore religious and ethnic diversity in the region using in-depth case studies from Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria. The course covers issues including nation-state formation, minority and sectarian identities, the influence of ideological movements such as nationalism and socialism, the rise of Islamism, the Iranian revolution and its regional effects, Salafism/Wahhabism, and the regional Sunni-Shi'ite divide after the Arab Spring. Students learn how to analyze religious conflicts with a critical eye, investigating what social factors generate sectarianism in the region rather than perceiving it as natural or "given." Usually Offered: fall. Grading: A-F only.