STANDARD COMPETENCIES:

 

 1. Acquire information from many sources

 2. Break complex and multiple sources of information down into parts to create clearer understanding

 3. Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of time and space on perspective

 4. Develop narrative structures and arguments based on evidence

 5. Describe how peoples, groups, cultures, and institutions covered in this course change over time

 6. Analyze the events covered in the course in historical context and recognize how social, cultural, gender, race, religion, nationality and other identities affect historical perspective

 7. Communicate orally and in writing about the subject of the course and select and apply contemporary forms of technology to solve problems and compile information

 8. Use different resources for historical research, including libraries, databases, bibliographies and archives

 9. Analyze secondary sources and recognize differences in historical interpretation

 10. Identify types of primary sources, the point of view and purpose of their author or creator

 11. Create substantive writing samples which employ critical analysis of primary and secondary sources, and document those sources correctly

 12. Construct knowledge in the discipline and synthesize historical narratives and timelines from primary and secondary sources, maps, and/or artifacts and critically analyze, interpret and evaluate many different points of view to construct historical arguments.

 13. Analyze how Islam and Western colonialism have shaped institutions and ideologies of modern Middle Eastern society

 14. Explain how nationalist and other reform movements have affected institutions and societies in the region

 15. Describe the impact of oil production upon the economies and political institutions of the region

 16. Evaluate the processes and outcomes of the political uprisings that occurred during and after the Arab Spring

 TOPICAL OUTLINE:

 

 I. Introduction

  A.   Defining the Middle East

  B.   History of Islam to 1800

 

 II. Europe and the Middle East

 A. The Late Ottoman Empire

 B. European Colonialism

 C. Responses to Colonialism

 

 III. The Struggle for Independence

 A. World War I and its aftermath

 B. Nationalist movements in the Middle east

 C. Other reform movements

 D. World War II in the Middle East

 

 IV. The independent Middle East, 1942-1967

 A. Israel and Palestine

 B. Arab nationalism

 C. The Cold War in the Middle East

 

 V. The independent Middle East, 1967-1991

  A.   Consolidation of authoritarian regimes

  B.   OPEC and the politics of oil

  C.   Iranian Revolution and Islamic fundamentalism

  D.  Gulf War

 

 VI. Revolution and reform in  the Middle East, 1991-2013

 A. Challenges to the existing order

 B. Intifada and Middle East politics

 C. Iraq War

 D. “Arab Spring”