Modern Middle East1800-Present

Catalog description

The purpose of this course is to trace and investigate the history of the Modern Middle East from 1800-present through course lecture, discussion, and the reading of secondary and primary sources. Students are assessed through their preparation for and participation in discussion and through two midterm take home essays and a final paper. Topics to be considered include the integration of the Middle East into the modern world system; the nature, impact, and lasting effects of European imperialism; the legacies of the Ottoman and Qajar Empires for the modern Middle East; World War I and its effects; the origins and evolution of nationalism and the Middle East state system; Decolonization; the Revolutions of Mid-Century; the Arab-Israeli dispute; the effects of oil exploitation; the Iranian Revolution, Religion and Politics, the Arab uprisings and its aftermath, the Middle East Refugee Crisis, as well as the US relationship to the region.