Distribution Requirements: History of the Modern Middle East

This course investigates the history of social and political change in the Middle East from 1798 to the present. Within a general political framework, the course will cover the main social, economic, and intellectual currents. Emphasizing political, economic, social and cultural history, the course seeks to examine the impact of outside powers on the region, the responses of the region’s peoples to this challenge, colonization, nationalism and identity, religious and ideological trends, gender issues, major “crises” (including the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Lebanese civil war, and the Iranian Revolution), and efforts to reassert Islamic identity in an era of globalization. 

Professor Perspective:

Associate Professor of History Febe Armanios’s goal in her class is “to raise consciousness about the stories of ordinary peoples, about the disenfranchised and marginalized and about those men and women who have struggled to survive in the face of oppression and injustice.” With this objective, her 22 students spend a portion of the class time in circle formation holding intimate discussions about readings and narratives. In this multi-dimensional course, students listen to lectures, read novels and write three essays about Middle East history, beginning at the end of the 1700s. The novels relate closely to the specific time period being discussed in class, shedding a unique light and providing a new lens through which to view the information. Armanios highlights that her favorite assignment is the book The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan. “[It is] a highly empathetic, complex, and nuanced perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” said Armanios. Armanios added that the book fuels some of the most lively discussions among the students.

Student Perspective:

This very relevant history class is made up of Arabic-language students, students interested in history and students excited about learning the roots of the current conflict. The common thread among those broad groups is the student’s energy and appreciation for the course. “I’ve heard great things about [Armanios] from my peers and have admired the work she does from afar,” said Zeke Caceres ’15. “I wasn’t too surprised on the first day of class when she nonchalantly announced she’d be leaving for Rome in a week to give a talk in the Vatican Library about Coptic Christians in Egypt,” he added. Ben Harris ’15, discussing the importance of the subject matter, said “the Middle East is certainly the most dynamic region in the world right now.” He sees the course as an opportunity to explore the “undergoing social, cultural, religious, philosophical and political changes [in the region].”