KURSE

Comparative History of the Modern Middle East

Information

Host institution
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Online class times 
10:00 - 11:00 (GMT + 2)
Duration
14 WEEKS
Credits
6
Language
English
register Status
Closed

Comparative History of the Modern Middle East

About this course

This course by Prof. Yüksel Taşkın, aims to introduce participants to rival theoretical perspectives in critically understanding the past and the present Middle East by providing a comparative historical insight on the general representation of Turkey and the Middle East as an “exception” and an “unfitting geography.”


In this perspective, the course starts with an introduction and critique of orientalism as it is an intellectual component of the Western colonialism in the Middle East. Then, it focuses on the post-World War II setting in the region through a comparative analysis of three countries: Iran, Egypt and Syria. Furthermore, after elaborating the conflicts between the Arab and Israeli, it discusses the general question of democratization in the Middle East through a detailed analysis of the Arab Spring, including its background and outcomes. While the participants are expected to fulfill weekly reading assignments, short documentaries and films will be also screened with the objective of developing participants’ visual understanding of regional reality. 
Participants who successfully complete their studies will receive a certificate of achievement with ECTS credits which may be recognized by the universities located in countries part of the Bologna Process.
 The course will be held in English.