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Discussions
Post a response (2 paragraphs minimum, about 400 words) to the discussion question in
each module. A good response must be completed on time and provide a well-thought-out
response which adds content to the discussion (information from other sources, examples,
questions to other students, etc.)
(3200 words total)
Module 1
What are two of the most important current political, economic, or social issues affecting the
Greater Middle East/Gulf? Why?
Module 2
Describe the early influence of Muhammad on the Middle East, as well as the problems of
choosing his successor. Also, discuss the history of the Umayyad Dynasty and the Abbasid
Caliphate.
Module 3
How was Islam affected by the invasions of the Crusaders and the Mongols?
Describe the rise of the Ottoman Empire. Why did it succeed?
Module 4
Describe the interaction between the Ottoman Empire and the European powers during the age of
imperialism.
How did Muslim Westernization help Egypt and the Ottoman Empire deal with the West?
Take into account the rise of nationalism in Egypt and Turkey, as well as the Pan-Islam
movement.
Module 5
Discuss the rise of Arab nationalism and the role of Arab countries in World War I.
How did the Paris Peace Conference affect the Middle East?
Describe the rise of modern Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia in the postwar era.
Module 6
Discuss Egypt's struggle for independence and the creation of new states in the Fertile Crescent.
Describe the contest for Palestine and the role of Zionism in the early twentieth century.
Discussions
Module 7
Israel fought major wars against the Arabs in 1948, 1956, 1967, and 1973.
Describe each of these wars in detail.
Which of these four wars do you consider to have been the most important?
Module 8
During the first Gulf War, named Desert Storm, some people thought that the ceasefire at Aswan
was premature and that the Coalition forces should have marched on to Baghdad.
During the second Gulf War, named Operation Iraqi Freedom, that actually happened.
Compare the two wars from an operational and political perspective.
Why did the Arab Spring follow these wars?
Essay Assignments
Each essay should be 500+ words, single-spaced in a 12-point font, and conform in style to
include parenthetical citations and footnoted references.
(5000 words total)
Essays should demonstrate understanding and thoughtful reflection on a topic that speaks
to the mission of this course. That is, it should reflect your ability to place the topic into the
context of daily life.
Module 1
The Greater Middle East/Gulf region is traditionally considered one of the most important geostrategic areas of the world. Please briefly summarize the region’s global importance by
answering only 1 of the following 2 points:
1. Explain how the Greater Middle East/Gulf is shaped by its various regional geographies
(Middle East vs. Gulf vs. North Africa, Fertile Crescent vs. deserts), and its geo-economic
importance (oil vs. international trade routes or nomadism and agriculture vs. urbanism and
industrialization).
2. Explain the key historical-political factors that shape the Greater Middle East/Gulf
(Muhammad’s Islamic religion; Arab unity under 3 empires from 700 to 1918 A.D.; Arab
divisiveness and political rivalry under national governments since the 1930s; the Super-Powers’
influence in the region during the Cold War; and the reasons for the 50 years-long Arab-Israeli
conflict).
Module 2
Explain, in detail, the following:
What are the religious roots Muhammad used to craft Islam? How did Muhammad obtain
religious and political success in uniting the factional Arab tribes? How did Muhammad convert
non-Arabs to Islam?
Module 3
Explain, in detail, the following:
Why did Islam and the Arabs succeed in spreading throughout the Greater Middle-East/Gulf
against the Byzantines and Persians? What were the military successes of the Omayyad and
Abbasids Arab Empires?
Module 4 – Midterm Exam
Explain, in detail, the following:
Why did the Abbasids Arab Empire collapse and the Greater Middle-East/Gulf region fragment
under the onslaught of internecine fights and invasions by Seljuk-Turks, Christian Crusaders and
Essay Assignments
especially the Mongols?
Module 5
Explain the following:
What were the reasons for the military successes of the Ottoman-Turks in creating a third (but
non-Arab) Islamic empire re-uniting the Greater Middle-East/Gulf region, and what type of
relations did the Turks have towards their non-Turkish subject populations and minorities
(Arabs, Balkan and Middle-Eastern Christians, Armenian Christians, Jews, Kurds, Persians)?
Module 6
Please answer only 1 of the following 2 points:
1. Describe the various geo-strategic, military and religious policies used by the European Great
Powers (Austria, Russia, France, Great Britain, Italy) to annex key Turkish provinces and
ultimately partition and destroy the declining Ottoman-Turkish Empire (1700s-1919).
2. Describe the Ottoman-Turkish Empire’s repression policies against secessionist minorities
(Greek-Balkan Christians, Armenian Christians, Assyrian Christians) and non-Turkish subject
Muslim populations (Arabs and Kurds) in the 1820s-1918.
Module 7
Please answer only 1 of the following 2 points:
1. Briefly explain the key religious beliefs of Judaism, and how the Diaspora cast Jews in socio
religious seclusion and persecution amidst their host Christian and Muslim countries throughout
the centuries ending with the Holocaust.
2. Briefly explain Zionism as an ideology (with its five points from the 28th Zionist Congress in
Jerusalem in 1968) and its role during World War I (1914-18) and World War II (1939-45) in
helping create Israel as a Western state (combining kibbutz, secular vs. religious Jews and Jewish
immigration).
Module 8 – Final Exam
Choose one topic below and write an essay (approximately 1500 words).
1) Define the term “Arabs” and its relationship to pan-Arabism (nationalism) by distinguishing
between the Muslim world and the Arab world. Mention also Nasser and Saddam Hussein as
nationalist pan-Arab leaders.
2) Explain the Jewish “Diaspora”, history of Zionism, its five points (adopted by the 28th Zionist
Congress in Jerusalem in 1968) and impact of both World War I (1914-18) and World War II
Essay Assignments
with the Holocaust on the creation of Israel.
3) Describe the fall of the Ottoman Empire during World War I vs. Arab nationalism, the myth
of an independent Arab state (Lawrence of Arabia) and rival Jewish-Arab claims on the Great
Powers’ Mandate system of the League of Nations (Mandates A and Palestine).
4) Explain both Palestinian/Arab and Israeli views on the Middle East conflict and the key ArabIsraeli Wars: 1948 Independence of Israel, 1956 Suez Canal War, 1967 Six Days War and 1973
Yom Kippur War.
5) Describe Palestinian/Arab views on the Middle-East conflict, Jewish Settlements and
”Occupied Lands” (West Bank, Gaza, Golan, East Jerusalem) and how has Palestinian terrorism
(from the revolutionary PLO to Islamist Hamas) shaped Israel’s domestic security vs. any ArabIsraeli Peace Process. Has the “Fence” stopped Palestinian terrorism and shaped the future
borders in a “Two-States Solution” between Israel and Palestine?
6) Describe “Islamism” vs. Islamic Fundamentalism in relation to Iran’s 1979 Islamic
Revolution and Islamic Terrorism/insurgencies (Afghanistan, Al-Qaeda) vs. Western security
after the “9/11” terrorist attacks in the U.S. and later ones in Europe and Israel. Discuss the
U.S./Coalition in the Gulf against Iran (1980s) in the Two Gulf Wars against Iraq (1990-91,
2003), Two Afghan Wars (1979-89, 2001-current) and the destabilization of Pakistan.
Saint Leo University
HTY233
The Modern Middle East
Course Description:
A study of the social, political, religious and economic forces present in the modern Middle East, with
emphasis on the period since World War I, Arab-Israeli conflict, and oil.
Prerequisite(s):
None
Textbook:
Goldschmidt Jr., A. and L. Davidson. A Concise History of the Middle East. 10th ed. Boulder:
Westview Press, 2013. Print. ISBN: 978-0-8133-4821-6
Course Objectives:
By the end of the course, the student should be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding of the history of the Greater Middle East from the time of
Muhammad to the present;
Demonstrate an understanding of both sides of issues related to the Arab-Israeli conflict and the
U.S. interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, plus other controversial regional issues;
Demonstrate an understanding of the basic tenets of Islam as a religion;
Demonstrate an understanding of daily life in the Greater Middle East;
Develop skills in reading, plus oral and/or written communication on these issues.
Core Values:
Excellence: Saint Leo University is an educational enterprise. All of us, individually and collectively, work
hard to ensure that our students develop the character, learn the skills and assimilate the knowledge
essential to become morally responsible leaders. The success of our University depends upon a
conscientious commitment to our mission, vision and goals. In HTY233, students will develop accurate
information about the Middle East and an ability to analyze this information with the highest standards.
Respect: Animated in the spirit of Jesus Christ, we value all individuals' unique talents, respect their
dignity and strive to foster their commitment to excellence in our work. Our community's strength depends
on the unity and diversity of our people, on the free exchange of ideas and on learning, living and working
harmoniously. In HTY233, students will learn respect for another culture and civilization that has become
a critical part of the world.
Evaluation:
Grading will be evaluated in the following manner:
Graded Assignments
Essays (6 x 100 pts)
Discussions (6 x 25 pts)
Midterm essay exam
Final essay exam
Total
Points
600
150
150
150
1050
1
Percent
60
20
10
10
100%
Grade Distributions:
Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
F
Score
94-100%
90-93%
87-89%
84-86%
80-83%
77-79%
74-76%
70-73%
67-69%
60-66%