HST 385 - The Modern Middle East: From the Rise of Nation States to ISIS

The course will complement historical literature with geographic and ethnographic perspectives fundamental to an understanding of the area. Geographically, the course will include the Ottoman Empire in Europe and Asia and its successor state–Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Topically it will consider the world wars and imperialism; revolutions, independence and and nationalism; the Arab-Israeli conflict and regional politics; the cold war; the politics of oil; Iraq under Saddam; Syria under the Asads; Iran under the Ayatollahs; the Arab Spring and its aftermath in Egypt and north Africa and the rise of local fundamentalist groups, such as the Taliban, Al-Qaida and ISIS.
Lecture
Credits: 3
Prerequisite: ENG 120 or Honors Status.
Diversity, Cross-Cultural and Global Perspectives. Offered in Alternate Years