Calendar

WEEK # TOPICS DUE DATES
1 Introduction to the Class  
2

Introduction and Overview:

The Middle East in the 19th Century: Reform and "Decline"

  
3 The Ottoman and Iranian Constitutional Revolutions  
4

Orientalism and its Critiques

  
5 Western Imperialism in the Middle East: World War I and its Aftermath  
6

Nation-State Nationalism in the Middle East I: The Interwar Period

Guest Speaker

Professor Lerna Ekmekcioĝlu, Department of History, MIT.

 First reaction / reflection paper due
7

Nation-State Nationalism in the Middle East II: Post WWII

 Topic proposal for final research paper due
8

The Iranian Revolution and its Impact on the Middle East

  
9 Palestine, Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict I  
10 Palestine, Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict II  
11

The Rise of Islamic Radicalism: Hamas as a Case Study

 Second reaction / reflection paper due
12 Screening of Encounter Point. Directed by Julia Bacha. Color, 85 min. 2006.  
13

Islam and Democracy; Islam post September 11

  
14

The Arab Spring?

  
15 Challenges in Today's Middle East  
16 Conclusion and student's reflections Final research paper due a week after the last class