The course will explore the politics of the Middle East from the twentieth century up to the present, looking at the key political, social and economic developments which have formed the region we see today. The course will combine thematic and region-wide analyses with in-depth investigations of particular countries.

Seminar: two hours per week, for 10 weeks 

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1. 40%: Reflection piece (1500 words)

2.60%: Essay (2500 words)

This course serves as an introduction to the politics of the Middle East, including Egypt, the Arab East (Mashriq) including the Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula, Israel, Turkey and Iran. It considers the political, economic and social changes that have affected the region since the turn of the twentieth century, particularly since WWI. It gives an overview of the major political issues, forces and developments in the region, providing an analysis of the wider political contexts in which they occurred. The course will combine a thematic approach with explorations of specific countries, and students will engage with a range of material to deepen their understanding of the region, including literature and the arts as well as scholarly work.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Critically map and analyse the key political, social and economic trends in the Middle East since the 20th century up to the present.

2. Assess the drivers of state development, governance and political society in the region.

3. Engage critically and analytically with scholarly work on the region, including contemporary debates.

4. Identify and challenge key dominant assumptions and underlying mainstream narratives about the region.

5. Equip students with transferable and analytical skills to construct historically-informed and empirically-grounded arguments.