 Oil  Conflict affects us all  Cradle of Civilisation  Art, medicine, astronomy, mathematics, law  Birthplace of Monotheism

 This course offers a panoramic survey of the Middle East from the origins of the Islamic Period to the present day. It will deal with the historical, political economic and social concerns beginning with the comparative politics of the countries of the region and the major events of the 20 th Century. It will then explore several political themes that influence the region and international politics as a whole.

 The general aim of this course is to assist the students in developing a good understanding of Middle East, its history, political, social and economic makeup and the key issues that affect the region.  Specific objectives include providing the students with:  Knowledge of the countries of the region and their political makeup.  Understanding of the diversity of its peoples and the variety of political actors and structures.  Basic understanding of the history, key issues, concepts, actors, states and international relations of the region.  Obtaining skills to critically analyze these and draw informed independent conclusions.

 On successful completion of this course, all students are expected to have developed a good understanding of the Middle East and as well as its place in international politics. You will have the skill to analyze historical and contemporary political developments, conveying your knowledge and analysis through oral and written mediums. You will have strengthened your abilities in critical thinking, effective communication, research and writing.

 Midterm Exam:30% of FINAL GRADE  20 Multiple Choice  Map Test  Essay Question  Research Paper 30% of FINAL GRADE  1,250 Words, about 4 pages, Double Spaced, 12 pica  Final Exam:40% of FINAL GRADE  20 Multiple Choice  4 Short Answer  Essay Question

 Make-up exams will only be given in the following circumstances: Sickness, Examination timetable clash, other exceptional circumstances.  In all cases, you must submit a written request via the Departmental Secretary within three working days giving reasons together with the necessary supporting evidence.  All other requests for make-up examinations will be refused and a mark of “0” will be entered for the examination  Make-up examinations consist of essay questions only.  Written assignments will need to be submitted on paper and in electronic format by 5pm on their due dates.

 1) Introduction, Historical Overview Weeks 1  2) Comparative Politics 2-5  3) International Relations 6-7  Pan Arabism, Arab Cold War, Iran-Iraq War, Gulf War I, II  Exams Week 8  Politics of Religion 9-10  Islamic IR, Political Islam, Iranian Rev, Jihadism  5) Contemporary Issues  Arab/Israeli Conflict, ME Cold War, Identity, Gender, Democracy, Arab Spring, Green Movement, Syria, War on Terror, Petro Politics, Modernity, Globalisation.

  Office BE 185  Office Hours: or by appointment  Monday 13:30 – 14:20  Tuesday 13:30 – 14:20  Wednesday 11:30 – 12:30

 Over 400 million people, half under 25  Arab League 22 Countries + Iran, Israel  Predominantly Sunni  Shiite Majority: Iran, Iraq, Bahrain  Large Shiite Minority: Kuwait, Yemen, Lebanon, Al-Hansa Province Saudi Arabia  Average Adult literacy 76.9 %  Contains 2/3 of known oil reserves

 Syrian – Iraqi Conflict, ISIS  Post- Revolutionary Egypt, Fatah al-Sisi  Detained Al-Jazeera Journalists  Iranian Nuclear Program  Conflict in Gaza

Historical Overview I

 Video Pre Islamic Middle East  MUQ

 Revelation: From Merchant to Prophet  Hijra 622  Birth of the Umma, Community of Believers  Tribal loyalties replaced with a broader community identity  The first Islamic State, Constitution of Medina

 Rightly Guided Caliphs 750  Abu Bakr, Umar ibn al-Kittab, Uthman ibn Affan, Ali ibn Abi Talib  The Wars of Apostasy (Rida Wars)  Of the six major centres of the revolt four of the leaders of the movement offered competing claims to being prophets themselves.

 The Umayyads  Contenders: Shi’ite, Carmathian, Fatamid, Almoravid, Almohad, Safavid  A Failure of Leadership  Early and rapid expansion out of Arabia  Faced issues of administration not previously encountered  Failed to earn legitimacy in religious terms  A Kingdom not a Caliphate

 By 775 Abbasid rule firmly established and the empire unified, with the exception of Umayyad controlled Spain, Cordoba Caliphate  Capital moved to Baghdad  Consolidates the relationship between, umma, Caliph and Ulema  Creation of a formalised Sharia  Closing the ‘Gates of Ijtihad’  Greatest expansion of Islamic territory

 1258 Mongol Invasion and the Fall of Baghdad  Emergence of the Turku-Seljuk State 13 th C  Changing nature of the relationship between religion and the state  Cooption of the Ulema

 1612 Ottoman Empire gives up some gains from the Treaty of Istanbul  1683 September 11 Battle of Vienna. Ottoman defeat.  1686 Hungary evacuated.  1813 Second Serbian Uprising  1832 Greek War of Independence  1853 Crimean War  1862 United Romanian autonomous state is established.  1877 Russo-Turkish War  1878 The Treaty of San Stefano recognizes Romanian and Serbian independence  1878 Cyprus is occupied by Britain.  1881Tunisia becomes a French colony.  1882 Egypt goes under British protection  1908 Bulgaria obtains full independence  1913 First Balkan War: The Ottoman Empire is nearly wiped out from Europe

 Muhammad ibn ʿ Abd al-Wahhab ( )  Pact with Muhammad bin Saud helped to establish the Saudi state  The descendants of Ibn ʿ Abd al-Wahhab, have historically led the ulema in Saudi Arabia  Movement sought to purify Islam by returning Muslims to the original principles of Islam  Primary doctrine of Islam is the uniqueness and unity of God (Tawhid).  Polytheist practices  Wahhab's teachings were criticized for disregarding Islamic history, monuments, traditions and the sanctity of Muslim life

  Salafism  What accounts for the decline of Islamic civilisation?  Opening the ‘Gates of ijtihad’  The Islamic Reformation  Liberal and radical reformers

 Sultan Abdulhamid II overthrown in 1908 and replaced with a military government led by the “Three Pashas”.  After trying to join the Allied side and being rejected, the Ottomans sided with the Central Powers in October of 1914.

 Ottomans military weakness evident  The geopolitical game was to see who would pick up the pieces once the empire came apart.  Ottoman goals during the First World War : Hinder Russian aggression, Recover the Balkans  1) Stalemate  2) , Arab uprisings in the Hejaz and Syria  The United States entered the war in April 1917 and the Bolshevik Revolution took Russia out of the war in October 1917

 5 June 1916  Attack on the Ottoman garrison at Medina  By the end of July the ports of Jiddah, Yanbu and Rabegh were under Arab control. Supported by British forces  Lieutenant T.E. Lawrence –Lawrence of Arabia  Battle of Meggido in September 1918  October 1918 Damascus falls  November 1918 Ottomans sign armistice

 Secret agreement between United Kingdom and France  Divided the Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire outside the Arabian peninsula into areas of future British and French control  Lloyd George “I am very keen to see a Jewish state established in Palestine.“  Turning point in Western–Arab relations. Negated the promises made to Arabs for a national homeland in the area of Greater Syria  Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, “This blessed advance will not stop until we hit the last nail in the coffin of the Sykes–Picot conspiracy”

 Treaty of Sèvres 1920  Caliphate abolished March 3,  Abdulmecid II was the last caliph of Islam  No framework for united and identity  Medina (622)Damascus (662) Baghdad (751), Cairo (1262) Istanbul (1517).