2007 Handbooks

The September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon have focussed world attention on the Middle East and its relations with the West. The primary objective of this course is to introduce students to the domestic politics of the Middle East, and to the intellectual and ideological currents which shape those politics.

The first four weeks will be devoted to the examination and discussion of broad-ranging theoretical concepts necessary for an understanding of Middle Eastern political processes, and different ways of looking at those processes. The unit will then move to a more detailed examination of the structure of government and the politics of the region, using some of the ideas from the earlier part of the course.

Particular attention will be paid to the region's ongoing relations with the West and the current war against terrorism; the emergence and future prospects of religious fundamentalism; and the rise of Arab nationalism and Zionism. The Arab-Israeli conflict; the 2003 Iraq Wars; and the impact of globalism will also be covered.