Course Description

 

 

 

This course aims to provide students with a general overview of basic themes and issues in Middle Eastern history from the rise of Islam to through the 20th century, with an emphasis on the encounters and exchanges between the “Middle East” (Southwest Asia and North Africa) and the “West” (Europe and the United States). The course will cover Islam during the Prophet Muhammad’s lifetime, its expansion and consolidation during the period of Arab hegemony, Turkish migration and resulting Turkic states like the Ottoman empire, and other events that form the background to the contemporary Middle East. The primary goal of the course will be to gain deeper understanding of the region’s religions, politics, and cultures. By the conclusion of the course, students should have a grasp of the major trends in Middle East history, as well as an appreciation for the rich and complex politics, society, economy and culture that characterizes the region.

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