This course is designed to introduce students to the central issues of 19th- and 20th-century Middle Eastern history: imperialism, nationalism,
secularism, modernization and Westernization, and the resurgence of militant Islam. The course begins with the decline of the Ottoman Empire and
examines in detail the experiences of several countries, including Turkey, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. The course concludes with a survey
of the present conflicts in the region, seeking to understand them in their historical dimensions.