Middle East Studies 220 - THE ARAB SPRING-ECONOMIC ROOTS

An exploration of the economic dynamics underlying the Arab Spring and the economic dimensions of the aftermath in the period since 2010. Considering the interaction between economic factors, on the one hand, and socio-political forces, on the other hand, as well as the global context and international pressures on the Arab region, we use a wide range of scholarly and other sources to examine and compare the developmental experience of various countries from North Africa and Egypt to the Levant, Iraq and the Arab Gulf. A previous course in Middle Eastern economics, politics, history or culture recommended, but not required.