Perhaps no region in the world has had a more turbulent contemporary history than the Middle East. Disparate sectarian loyalties, ethnic divides, persistent clashes between revolutionary and status-quo forces, extra-regional intrusion in the area, and the high level of inter-state conflict has left the Middle East in a state of persistent instability. Yet, in the midst of this regional ‘anarchy’, Middle Eastern states and their political systems have proved themselves remarkably resilient.

The first part of the course focuses on the broad themes that are common throughout the area we call the Middle East: the defining impact of Islam in the region; the continuing primacy of primordial loyalties; the struggle for independence; nationalism and its role in state formation; ethnicity, religion and national identity; the weakness of political institutions; the persistence of authoritarian rule, which is manifested in the dominance of individuals over the political life of citizens, and the rise of the radical Islamic movements as seemingly the only viable opposition to authoritarian rule.

A parallel intellectual concentration that will run throughout the course in conjunction with the weekly topics is the emphasis on the prospects for democracy in the Middle East. This will be our main ‘research problem’. Therefore in addition to treating every topic as an independent intellectual concern, students should also try to think about, and ascertain, the ways in which the topic relates to Middle Eastern democratization.