History 208 - Introduction to the History of the Modern Middle East

Offered as MES 208 & HST 208. This course examines the history of the modern Middle East from a global perspective. How have gender, economy, ecology, and religion shaped Middle Eastern empires and nation-states within a broader world? The course begins with transformations in Egypt, Iran, and the Ottoman Empire between 1800 and World War I. Next, it turns to experiences of colonialism, the rise of independent nation-states, and the birth of new political movements. Overall, we will work to appreciate the diversity of the region’s cultures, languages, and peoples and to critically assess how the Middle East has been imagined from without and within. Enrollment limited to 40.