Critical Social Inquiry 0227 - The U.S. & Arab Nationalsim

The American encounter with Arab nationalism spanned the entire twentieth century. Arab nationalism and the American empire developed on the same timetable and influenced each other in subtle but profound ways. The United States at the dawn of its age of empire was far more aware of events in the Middle East than we generally realize today. As American global interests mushroomed, understanding the political developments in the Middle East became a necessity. However, several factors impeded the American understanding of Arab nationalism. Ethnocentrism and an American brand of Orientalism would make it hard for Americans see the real peoples of the Middle East, not the imagined inhabitants of the Holy Land. Even more importantly, Americans would never be able to grapple with the meaning of Arab nationalism without considering the challenges of yet another brand of nationalism, Zionism. In 1908, Zionism and nascent Arab nationalism first encountered each other on the American scene. Their continued encounters would shape political and intellectual developments in the United States and the Middle East for the hundred years that followed. That century is the focus of this course. Specific topics we will explore include the Turkish Revolution of 1908, Woodrow Wilson's response to Arab nationalism in the wake of World War I, World War II and America's response to the creation of the Arab League and the rise of Nasserism in the early Cold War, as well as the American response to Palestinian nationalism. We will also look at the efforts of the Arab Americans in the United States to influence US foreign policy and public opinion.

Independent Work Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research Students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.