HST-2160 Modern Middle East

Credits 3
A survey of Middle Eastern history from the late 18th century to the present with emphasis on the 20th century. The areas covered include present day Iraq, Iran, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Turkey, Egypt, and the Arabian peninsula.
Course Outcomes

Evaluate the Islamic, Ottoman, and Safavid backgrounds for the late 18th century Middle East and the development of “defensive modernization” in the Ottoman Empire and Egypt.
Analyze the origins of Zionism and the emergence of revolutionary movements in late 19th century Ottoman Empire and Iran.
Discuss the impact of World War I and the ensuing peace settlements on the Middle East and the growth of Arab nationalism, Zionism, and authoritarian reform through World War II.
Evaluate the radicalization of Arab politics beginning in the early 1950s and its links to the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Lebanese Civil War, and the authoritarian regimes in Syria and Iraq.
Analyze the origins, characteristics, and consequences of Iran’s Islamic Revolution.
Identify the most important characteristics of late 20th century militant Islam.