510937 - HISTORY AND CULTURE OF MIDDLE EAST

The course provides students with an introduction to the history of the Middle East (understood primarily as the post-Ottoman space) since the late 19th century. It will also present five thematic case studies about the broader cultural environment of relevant countries – or the region as a whole – at some key moments in time.

The students who successfully complete this course will:

- Know different definitions of what counts as the “Middle East”, and be able to approach critically the debates surrounding this notion;
- Know how some major events shaped the history of the region over the past century (e.g. First World War; the end the mandates at the end of the Second World War; the 1967 war; the end of the Cold War; 9/11);
- Be able to trace the historical development of several key countries across this period, especially Israel/Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and Iran;
- Be aware of how political and military events affect – and interact with – cultural and religious dynamics in the region, especially in key phases such as the foundational years of Arab nationalism, the British mandate of Palestine, the height of pan-Arabism, the Islamic Revolution in Iran, and the Arab Uprisings;
- Be able to critically approach these events and dynamics in light of relevant notions drawn from political science, international relations, religious and ethnic studies, and other thematic approaches to the region.