The History of the Modern Middle East

Catalog description

This course introduces graduate students to key historiographical and methodological literatures and debates in the field of modern Middle Eastern history. Drawing on a variety of historical approaches and methods from related disciplines, we analyze the transformation of the Middle East in the modern era as part of broader global processes. The rise of capitalism and the incorporation of the Middle East into the world economy led to wide-ranging transformations in agriculture, urbanization, the creation of new social classes, and migration within and to the region. The expansion of imperial, colonial, and national states occurred congruent with the emergence of mass politics, new technologies, and new public spaces. All of the above developments contributed to changing intercommunal relations, new gender roles, and a reassessment of the role of religion in political and social life. Graduate students will thus acquire deep knowledge about the history of the region while at the same time developing comparative skills and a broader understanding of the Middle East within world history.