POL 177 — Demystifying the Middle East
Quarter: Summer
Instructor(s): Marwan D. Hanania
Date(s): Jun 26—Jul 24
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Thursdays
Class Meeting Time: 6:00—7:50 pm (PT)
Tuition: $360
Refund Deadline: Jun 28
Unit(s): 1
Status: Open
Quarter: Summer
Day: Thursdays
Duration: 5 weeks
Time: 6:00—7:50 pm (PT)
Date(s): Jun 26—Jul 24
Unit(s): 1
Tuition: $360
Refund Deadline: Jun 28
Instructor(s): Marwan D. Hanania
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Open
This course presents the major themes and events that have defined the modern history and realities of the Middle East, focusing on developments since World War I. After providing background on the development of the Middle East during the classical Islamic and Ottoman eras, the course will assess the conflicting agreements undertaken during World War I between Britain and its allies to decide the future of the Middle Eastern territories then under Ottoman rule. We will go on to examine the creation of new colonial mandates and states and the major historical developments that defined the European colonial era and the more recent years of political independence. Topics in this section of the course will include an analysis of the creation of Israel and the Palestinian refugee crisis (1948), the rise and decline of Pan-Arab nationalism (1952–70), the role of oil, and the emergence of new forms of political Islam in the region. We will continue by reviewing the Arab Spring; the recent wars in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Israel, Lebanon, and the Palestinian territories; and the attempts at normalizing relations between Israel and the Arab world. Finally, using a thematic and interdisciplinary approach, we will study the diverse ethnic, religious, and national identities of the peoples of the region. We will also explore US involvement in the region and its broader ramifications for US foreign policy.
MARWAN D. HANANIA
Historian
Marwan D. Hanania has taught at Stanford, UC Berkeley, and Santa Clara University, among others. His research interests and areas of focus include the modern Middle East, urban history, refugees and migration, Christian-Muslim relations, the history of Islam, the late Ottoman period, and European empires. He received a PhD in history from Stanford. Textbooks for this course:
(Required) William Cleveland & Martin Bunton, A History of the Modern Middle East, 7th Edition (ISBN 978-0367516468)
(Required) James Gelvin, The New Middle East: What Everyone Needs to Know. 2nd Edition (ISBN 978-0197622094)
(Required) James Gelvin, The New Middle East: What Everyone Needs to Know. 2nd Edition (ISBN 978-0197622094)