HIS 331J (unique 39180) Fall 2010
MES 328 (unique 41675) TTh 2:00-3:30
Dr. Abraham Marcus GAR 1.126
History of the Arab World
This survey course is an introduction to the history, politics, and societies of the Arab Middle East, with a principal focus on the last three centuries. Beginning with the rise of Islam and the Arab conquests in the Middle East, the course reviews the main developments in the history of the Arabs in the medieval period, their experience as part of the Ottoman Empire for four centuries, the emergence of the modern Arab state system after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, and the eventful history of the region since. The lectures and readings cover both developments specific to the different Arab countries and broader regional issues shaping the contemporary Middle East, including the patterns of authoritarian rule, the rise and impact of Islamic political movements, the politics of oil, the dynamics of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the role of the United States in the region.
The class sessions are organized around lectures, with time provided for questions. A schedule of the topics, readings, and assignments is given below.
Students are advised to attend the lectures regularly and to read the assigned material ahead of each lecture.
Reading
The required reading includes the following texts:
Eugene Rogan, The Arabs: A History, 2009.
William L. Cleveland, A History of the Modern Middle East, 4th edition, 2009.
James L. Gelvin, The Modern Middle East: A History, 2nd edition, 2008 (selection).
Copies of the books by Rogan and Cleveland are available for purchase at the University Co-op. The material from Gelvin’s book is posted on Blackboard.
Writing assignments
Two short essay papers (5 double-spaced pages pages each) are required. The assigned topics will be posted on Blackboard. The papers should follow the requirements outlined in the ‘Tips for Essay Writing’ posted on Blackboard. Papers are due in the class session on the dates for which they are assigned; papers submitted late will not be accepted.
Exams
There will be a midterm exam (on October 14) and a final exam (December 9, 2-5 p.m.). The final exam will be comprehensive, covering the material for the entire course. The exams will include essay questions and short identifications. Blue books are required.
Grading
Papers––20%; midterm exam––35%; final exam––45%.
The assignment of final letter grades for the course will be based on the following scale:
90-92 is an A-; 93-100 is an A; 80-82 is a B-; 83-86 is a B; 87-89 is a B+; and similarly for the grades in the C and D ranges. A grade below 60 is an F.
Office hours and contact information
Hours: TTh 3:30-4:30, and by appointment (GAR 3.406).
Phone: 475-7229; e-mail: amarcus@uts.cc.utexas.edu
Please check your e-mail regularly to remain updated on course-related messages.
Course material and assignments will be posted on Blackboard.
Policy on scholastic dishonesty
Students’ academic work will be monitored for acts of plagiarism and cheating. Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.
Special accommodations
At the beginning of the semester, students with disabilities who need special accommodations should notify the instructor by presenting a letter prepared by the Services for Students with Disabilities Office. To ensure that the most appropriate accommodations can be provided, students should contact the SSD Office at 471-6259 or 471-4641 TTY.
Policy on religious holidays
By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of your pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, you will be given an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence.
Schedule of Topics, Readings, and Assignments
August 26 Introduction to the course
August 31 The Arab world today: a profile of the countries and peoples
I. The Arabs in the Pre-Modern Period: An Overview
Sept. 2 The Arabs and Islam in the medieval period
Cleveland, pp. 1-35.
Sept. 7 The Arab lands under Ottoman imperial rule, 16th-18th centuries
Cleveland, pp. 37-49; Rogan, ch. 1.
Sept. 9 New realities: internal shifts of power and the threat of Europe, 17th-18th centuries
Cleveland, pp. 49-51; Rogan, ch. 2.
II. Confronting Modernity in the Shadow of European Penetration, c. 1790-1920
Sept. 14 The beginnings of state-sponsored reform and modernization, c. 1790-1840
Cleveland, pp. 57-80; Rogan, ch. 3.
Sept. 16 The acceleration of Western-inspired change and its effects on daily life, 1840-1914
Cleveland, pp. 81-102; Rogan, ch. 4; Gelvin, ch. 6.
Sept. 21 The beginnings of European colonial rule
Rogan, pp. 109-136; Cleveland, pp. 103-109.
Sept. 23 New ideas and movements: nationalism, Islamic reform, and constitutionalism
Cleveland, pp. 119-143; Rogan, pp. 136-146.
*First paper due*
Sept. 28 World War I and the creation of new Arab states
Rogan, ch. 6.
III. Nation Building, European Control, and Independence, c. 1920-1950
Sept. 30 The Arab states under British colonial control
Cleveland, ch. 11; Rogan, pp. 175-196, 207-210.
Oct. 5 The Arab states under French colonial control
Cleveland, ch. 12; Rogan, pp. 211-218, 224-232, 240-246.
Oct. 7 The Arab-Jewish struggle over Palestine: origins and developments up to 1949
Cleveland, ch. 13.
Oct. 12 Review session for the midterm exam
Oct. 14 Midterm exam
IV. New Regimes, Ideologies, and Regional Conflicts, c. 1950-1970
Oct. 19 The Egyptian Revolution and its transformations
Cleveland, pp. 273-274, 301-322; Rogan, ch. 10.
Oct. 21 Post-war Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon: domestic and regional upheavals
Cleveland, ch. 16; Rogan, pp. 333-343.
Oct. 26 Conflict with Israel: the Arab states and the Palestinians Cleveland, ch. 17; Rogan, pp. 340-354.
V. The Arab World Since the 1970s: New Political and Socioeconomic Patterns
Oct. 28 Egypt after Nasser and Lebanon in civil war
Cleveland, pp. 369-395; Rogan, pp. 379-386, 410-423, 456-463.
Nov. 2 Syria and Iraq under Ba‘th Party rule: authoritarianism and its features
Cleveland, ch. 19.
Nov. 4 The emergence of militant Islamic movements and their political challenge
Cleveland, pp. 440-449, 541-556; Rogan, ch. 13.
Nov. 9 The politics of oil and the transformation of the Arabian Peninsula
Rogan, pp. 355-364; Cleveland, ch. 21.
Nov. 11 Arab-Israeli politics, 1970-1990
Rogan, pp. 364-379, 386-395, 429-437; Cleveland, pp. 363-367, 474-478.
Nov. 16 The 1991 Gulf War: a watershed moment
Cleveland, pp. 478-497; Rogan, pp. 439-456.
Nov. 18 Arab-Israeli politics, 1991 to the present
Cleveland, ch. 23; Rogan, pp. 464-479.
*Second paper due*
Nov. 23 Documentary film (shown in class)
Nov. 30 U.S policies and their shifts after the Cold War and September 11
Cleveland, ch. 25; Gelvin, ch. 17; Rogan, pp. 483-497.
Dec. 2 Review session for the final exam
This course contains a Global Cultures flag.