Description
This course offers a broad view of the history of the Middle East from the earliest time to the present. The early part of the course focusses on the birth of Islam in Arabia with a focus on the emergence of Islam’s major sects. This is followed by an investigation of the great Islamic Empires to World War I. In the modern period, students will analyze how the modern Middle East emerged from the World Wars, the impact of the discovery of oil, and the multifaceted conflicts that have plagued the region to the present time. The course may be offered in a variety of formats.