This course touches upon the major themes of modern Middle Eastern history. Starting with brief accounts of the emergence of Islam, the formation of the earliest Islamic Empires, and the importance of the Ottoman and Safavid Empires, the emphasis will be on political and economic change, and its impact on Middle Eastern societies and cultures, during the 19th and 20th centuries. These issues will be considered in the context of European imperialism, the modernization of traditional societies, and the emergence of independent nation-states, concluding with the most recent developments in the Middle East. {G} {S}
