Middle East

This course provides students with an introduction to the modern Middle East and North Africa (MENA). We use the conventional definition of the MENA which includes most of the Arab speaking world, Turkey, and Iran. It offers students a thematic exploration of the modern history, cultures, languages, religions, ethnic groups, and politics of the MENA. The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with a region that, despite its significance in current events, continues to be misunderstood and stigmatized. The course aims to break commonly held stereotypes about the region, including the status of women, modernity, and religion.

This course briefly reviews the complex history, politics, economics, and international relations of West Asia, aka the Middle East. The term “Middle East” was probably first coined by Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan in his 1890 book, The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660-1783. Because of its strategic significance, the term has found currency. But it is alien to the heterogeneous peoples and cultures of the region. The region’s unique historical circumstances (ecological, religious, and oil) have given it the appearance of a culture-area.