This course focuses on a critical understanding of the politics of the contemporary Middle East. The course takes a historical and ethnographic approach to understanding political cultures in the Middle East, interpreting the role of Islam, secularism, and globalization. It evaluates the impact of war, occupation, ethnic conflicts, and military-industrial complexes on the region. Students especially deepen their knowledge of geopolitical shifts in Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, and Turkey to build a comprehensive critical understanding of conflicts such as Israeli/Palestinian, Houthis/Saudis, and Kurdish/ISIS.Social Science and History (SSHIS) courses develop students' critical thinking skills through the study of history and the social sciences (e.g. sociology, psychology, economics, political science, anthropology, geography), as well as through contemporary interdisciplines that draw heavily on these fields (e.g. feminist and queer studies, media studies, urban studies, ethnic studies). Subject matter in these courses contributes to students' cultural literacy while instructional materials and classroom assignments introduce basic research problems and techniques.

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