The course will examine America’s policy in the “greater Middle East” since 1945. Particular attention will be paid to American grand strategy and it’s “doctrines” (Truman, Eisenhower, Nixon, Carter), the geopolitics of the oil industry, the Arab-Israeli conflict, Arab/ Iranian nationalism, and the “War on Terror". Together, we will analyze primary sources covering the major turning points of postwar Middle Eastern history. The objective of this course is to let students construct their own historical knowledge based on the analysis of primary and secondary sources. In this sense, this is not just an introduction to the history of American Middle East policy: it is also an introduction to the work of a historian. Because the past is never really past students will be encouraged to find connections between the historical material discussed in class and current developments in the region.
- Teaching coordinator: Dorion-Soulié Manuel
- Teaching coordinator: Langlois Laura Hilary