POLI 2208 Middle East Politics

Abstract

Course Description: The goal of this course is for students to learn about the politics and political systems of the countries of the Middle East, broadly defined as the entire MENA region. The course will use a number of major events as a lens to examine regional politics: the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the Siege of Mecca; the 2003 United States invasion of Iraq; the 2011 “Arab Spring”; and the 2017 “GCC Crisis.” The course does not specifically focus on Israel (or the Palestinian Authority, for that matter), though of course they will both come up throughout the semester— in addition to two dedicated class sessions. ¶ Major issues confronting the Middle East; religion and politics; challenges to economic development and democratization. 3.000 Credit hours