832 - Middle East Studies

This course aims to strengthen students’ understanding of Middle East politics and to provide a comprehensive introduction to contemporary politics in the Levant, often described as the core of the Middle East. Focusing on Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, the course traces the region’s political development from the late Ottoman period to the present, with particular attention to the emergence of the modern state system, the formation and evolution of state institutions, and the dynamics of state–society relations. Throughout the semester, the course examines major political, economic, and social transformations in the Levant, including the operation of government, the role of confessional and societal structures, the formation of domestic and regional alliances, and the impact of broader regional and global developments on local political orders.

The course combines lectures, student presentations, and guided discussions. The instructor employs a range of teaching and learning approaches, including visual materials (maps, documentaries, and films), debates, and, where appropriate, guest speakers. Most sessions begin with a lecture component, followed by a question-and-answer segment and discussion grounded in the assigned readings.