GOVT 50.24 International Relations of the Modern Middle East

This course is about the international relations of the Middle East. Because foreign and security policy decisions are influenced and, in some cases, determined by domestic politics, the course will also touch on internal as well as external factors. The course will entail several disciplinary perspectives. The history of the region since World War I and the emergence of the modern Middle East, for example, is essential to an understanding of its international relations. Geography, especially involving the distribution of natural resources – e.g., fossil fuels and water – as well the influence of climatic variations are also key. The insights of political science are essential to a grasp of national decision making regarding the exercise of the instruments of power and the way the effects of these decisions play out in the short and long term. We will therefore be focusing on domestic politics; interstate dynamics; political economy; and the role of outside powers and the geopolitical context. The first half of the course, give or take, covers the period from WW I through the Arab Uprisings of the early 2010s. The second half consists of deep dives in the revolution in Egypt, NATO intervention in Libya, the civil war in Syria, the complex dynamics of US-Iran-Israel relations, and the Gaza War of 2023/4. We will also set aside time to discuss the burgeoning role of the oil exporting states of the Arabian peninsula. By the end of course, students will have a relatively detailed understanding of the chronology of developments in the international relations of the region and be able to explain how and why events and trends transpired in Middle East international relations.

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:INT or SOC

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.

Department-Specific Course Categories

Government