The Making of the Modern Middle East

Why does the Middle East continue to be so complex, fragmented and highly contested, never more so than today? Rupert Wallace’s series of talks and discussions provide an analytical framework to help us understand the often chaotic, unstable and violent region. The sessions encompass the transformational impact of two world wars and the emergence of Zionism and Arab nationalism, the rise of political Islam including the revolution in Iran, and the external military interventions following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The course will then discuss the Arab Uprisings, continuing and widespread conflict (most recently in Gaza and Lebanon), and will conclude with the emergence of new power blocs and structures within the context of the highly unpredictable evolution of global politics.