The course will commence with an overview of the history of the Middle East. Students are requested to pay special attention to this portion as a grasp of the historical background of the Middle East is crucial to understanding current events. The historical portion which will be based on Albert Hourani\u27 s book will be followed by the emergence of the modern period from 1832 to the present day. The text used for this portion will be the book by Mehran Kamrava.
I will give my own insights on Middle East topics based on my diplomatic assignments in Syria, United Arab Emirates , Morocco and heading the Middle East Division at Headquarters in Pakistan\u27s Foreign Ministry.
I will circulate articles from newspapers and magazines relevant to the course. I also expect all students to share material they have found relevant with me, for onward transmission to the class if found relevant by me. Credit will be given to those students who can cite relevant books and articles during class discussions