Power and Identity in the Middle East

The Middle East is in the midst of a dramatic transformations with ongoing waves of uprisings, violent conflict, and economic crises. This course situates these developments within the broader historical and political context of the region. It examines the politics of the Middle East through a variety of topics, including how modern nations and states emerged out of Ottoman and European colonialism, mass uprisings against authoritarian rulers, what explains persistent authoritarianism and regime change across the region, why Islamist parties and movements emerged, and the dynamics of war and conflict.