The Making of the Modern Middle East and Afghanistan

This course examines the
history of the Middle East and Afghanistan in the last century or so through
the collapse of empires, the emergence of modern states and the rise and
consolidation of political Islam. We will emphasise the historical connections
between these two regions by exploring themes such as the influence of European
Colonialism and American Imperialism, the rise of secular Nationalism, and the impact
of the Cold War as they shaped the establishment of the Islamic Republic in
Iran and the rise and consolidation of the Taliban in Afghanistan. We will also
study the history of countries and conflicts that are still in the news today:
the Palestine/Israeli conflict and the consolidation of oil monarchies in Saudi
Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar which now are the wealthiest in the
world.