Last modified: 31 Jul 2023 11:19
This course explores some of the major developments in the history of the modern Middle East, from the late 19th century, through the collapse of the Ottoman Empire to the formation of modern nation states. The course will then focus on the latest phase of the history of the Middle Eastern Empires, the subsequent changes in the political systems over the course of the 20th century, colonialism, the struggle for independence, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The course follows a chronological structure and aims at strengthening critical thinking skills and interrogating contextual understanding of the role of culture as well as modernisation in the region.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | First Term | Credit Points | 30 credits (15 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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The course critically evaluates the transformation of the Middle East in the 19th and 20th centuries until the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and the events of Arab states and Palestine in the 1980s. It evaluates the transition from empires to nation states in the Middle East including Turkey and Iran through processes of modernisation in the political, social and cultural fields. The course is organised chronologically and thematically in order to offer an in-depth evaluation of the principal economic, cultural and social factors which dealt with the development of the Middle East. The first part of the course deals with the historiographical debate on the representation of the Middle East and offers an overview of Ottoman and Qajar Empires, and the influence of the economic, political and cultural influence of Europe. Local responses are scrutinised through a critical evaluation of revolutionary movements, and the rise of new intellectual trends such as Nationalism and Political Islam. The second part of the course focuses on the establishment of a new state system after the First World War, the definition of colonial societies in the interwar period, and the consolidation of Arab, Turkish and Iranian Nationalism in the first half of the 20th century. The later stage of modernisation and state formation is analysed through the study of revolutions in the Arab world and Iran, as well as the development of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the 1950s to the 1980s.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
2500 word essay (40%)
Seminar participation (10%)
Online Exam (50%)
There are no assessments for this course.
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | • Critical analysis of the key theoretical questions regarding the history and the debate ; |
| Conceptual | Analyse | • Good understanding of the key issues underlying the historiographical debate on the Modern Middle East |
| Conceptual | Analyse | • Appraise the role and position of the main actors in the region; |
| Conceptual | Analyse | • Evaluate the interaction of domestic and external actors and factors shaping the Middle East between the 19th and 20th centuries |
| Conceptual | Analyse | • Show familiarity with how progress might be made towards resolving the ongoing issues, against the background of contemporary political realities |
| Conceptual | Analyse | • Good communication skills both orally and in writing |
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