Religion&Nationalism Mid East

Catalog description

This seminar concentrates on the crucial role that nationalism and religion played in the history of the Modern Middle East during the period between the late nineteenth century and the present day. It explores the general questions of how the "nation" came to dominate both political thought and political reality in the region and how various nationalist movements and ideologies have imagined and constructed national identities. The seminar also critically considers how religions have contributed to and/or challenged these complex processes. Students will read secondary monographs on various Middle Eastern contexts and become familiar with key historical debates on nationalism and religion. The discussions will not only focus on the intellectual and political elites but we will also examine how non-elite individuals and groups influenced nation-building processes.