1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the history of relations between the Middle East and Europe between c.1800 and the late 1950s.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the historiography of the Middle East and East-West relations and the ideas and beliefs underlying it.
3. Reflect in a self-aware manner on the issues of religious and ethnic stereotyping in Euro-American narratives about Islam and the Middle east.
4. Communicate information and ideas effectively, acknowledging historical conventions and offering reasoned arguments based on an analysis of sources.

Review Assignment: (1000 words, 30%) is a written coursework essay in which students will be asked to critically analyse a book or documentary chosen for a selection relevant to the module. This assesses learning outcomes¿Knowledge & Understanding,¿Analysis,¿and¿Communication.

Topic Assignment (70%): With the choice of either 1) 2500 word essay or 2) 12 minute podcast or minidocumentary plus annotated script. This assignment entails the critical analysis, contextualisation and application of course materials into a reflection on one or more of the course themes. ¿This assesses learning outcomes¿Knowledge & Understanding,¿Learning,¿Analysis,¿Application,¿Communication.

This module delivers a history of the ‘modern’ Middle East and the region’s relationship with Europe from c.1800 to the late 1950s. This involves a broad discussion of historiographical themes such as Orientalism and colonialism and historical themes such as the expansion of Western imperialism, Christian-Islamic relations, and the impacts of WWI and WWII and anti-colonial movements. Major topics within the module include: the final century of the Ottoman Empire, Egypt and debates about modernisation, the Iranian Qajar dynasty, secularisation in Iran and Turkey, the idea of the ‘Holy Land’ in Western discourse and its relationship to the rise of political Zionism and the Mandates order post-WWI, processes of resistance to empire in Iraq, Syria and North Africa, and the rise of the Cold War as a shaper of international relations in the Middle East. Big-picture accounts of international patterns and dynamics will be complemented by primary sources and works from social and cultural history in order to highlight the roles of individual experiences and agency, especially from colonised peoples.

This module delivers a history of the ‘modern’ Middle East and the region’s relationship with Europe from c.1800 to the late 1950s. This involves a broad discussion of historiographical themes such as Orientalism and colonialism and historical themes such as the expansion of Western imperialism, Christian-Islamic relations, and the impacts of WWI and WWII and anti-colonial movements. Major topics within the module include: the final century of the Ottoman Empire, Egypt and debates about modernisation, the Iranian Qajar dynasty, secularisation in Iran and Turkey, the idea of the ‘Holy Land’ in Western discourse and its relationship to the rise of political Zionism and the Mandates order post-WWI, processes of resistance to empire in Iraq, Syria and North Africa, and the rise of the Cold War as a shaper of international relations in the Middle East. Big-picture accounts of international patterns and dynamics will be complemented by primary sources and works from social and cultural history in order to highlight the roles of individual experiences and agency, especially from colonised peoples.

The principal modes of teaching will be lectures and seminars, supported by tutorials. Lectures will address the key concepts and debates related to each topic on the syllabus and, as many students will not have studied this subject before, setting out a basic historical framework wherein the scholarly debates are contextualised. Seminars will follow the lecture programme and will enable students to discuss topics in further detail and to develop their understanding and analytical skills. A particular focus will be on the development of their critical, team-working and discussion abilities and their ability to handle complex and nuanced arguments on controversial topics. This will be achieved through a combination of group discussion and small group exercises.

The learning outcomes will be summatively assessed by one short piece of source-based writing and one extended essay or piece of audio-visual coursework. Student progress will be monitored and supported by regular small group tutorials and preparation activities to support assessment planning.

Edward Said, Orientalism (multiple editions, original 1978)
Ervand Abrahamian, A History of Modern Iran (Cambridge UP, 2008)
Betty Anderson. A History of the Modern Middle East: Rulers, Rebels and Rogues (Stanford University Press, 2016).
Hinnebusch, R.¿The international politics of the Middle East: Second edition. 2nd ed. (Manchester: Manchester University Press 2015).
Joel Beinin, Workers and Peasants in the Modern Middle East (CUP, 2001).
James Gelvin, The Modern Middle East: A History (Oxford UP, 2005).
Zachary Lockman, Contending Visions of the Middle East (Cambridge UP, 2009).

Library for books, journals, newspapers and periodicals including subscription online resources such as Blackwell Reference Online and Oxford Reference Online.

Teaching space with digital projection facilities.¿¿
The Blackboard virtual learning environment will be available to support this module. Details will be supplied in the module handbook.