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Contemporary Arab World (M23AR04DC)

By Dr Muhammadali Categories: MA Arabic, SGOU
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About Course

Examine the political history, colonial encounters, and freedom movements of the modern Arab world, with focus on Africa, the Arabian Gulf, Mesopotamia, and the Levant.

📖 Course Description:

This course provides a detailed study of the political history of the modern Arab world, focusing on the impact of colonialism, nationalist struggles, and freedom movements across Africa, the Arabian Gulf, Mesopotamia, and the Levant. It covers key historical developments, including foreign invasions, the rise of modern states, Arab nationalism, and Arab-Islamic movements.

Students will examine how colonial encounters shaped modern Arab identity, how freedom movements redefined sovereignty, and how political changes influenced regional stability. By engaging with the histories of Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Gulf states, learners will gain a broad perspective on the issues and concerns of the contemporary Arab world.

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What Will You Learn?

  • In this course, you will study the political history of modern Arab states, with special focus on Africa, the Gulf, Mesopotamia, and the Levant.
  • You will understand the impact of colonialism and foreign invasions on the development of Arab societies.
  • The course covers major freedom movements and nationalist struggles, from Egypt and Sudan to Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria.
  • It also examines the rise of modern states in the Arabian Gulf including Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the UAE.
  • Special attention is given to the conflicts in Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan, highlighting both historical and contemporary issues.
  • By the end, you will be able to critically analyze the challenges and concerns of the contemporary Arab world in relation to its political history.

Course Content

Block 1: Political History of Africa
Unit 1: Egypt – French invasion, Muhammad Ali Pasha, British invasion, Nasser, Sadat, contemporary Egypt. Unit 2: Sudan – Political and national movements, contemporary Sudan. Unit 3: Libya – Italian invasion, Libyan resistance, Gaddafi era, modern Libya. Unit 4: Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco – Colonial history, French rule, freedom movements, modern developments.

Block 2: Political History of Arabian Gulf
Unit 1: Saudi Arabia – Wahhabi movement, three Saudi kingdoms, modern state. Unit 2: Yemen – North & South Yemen, unification. Unit 3: Oman – BuSa‘id dynasty and governance. Unit 4: United Arab Emirates – Colonial history, federation of emirates. Unit 5: Kuwait – Political history and statehood. Unit 6: Bahrain – History, politics, and monarchy. Unit 7: Qatar – Political history and modern state.

Block 3: Mesopotamia and the Levant
Unit 1: Iraq – From Ottoman rule to British mandate, Saddam Hussein, Gulf Wars, modern Iraq. Unit 2: Palestine – Zionism, British mandate, Nakba, Arab-Israeli wars, Intifadas, PLO & Hamas. Unit 3: Syria – French mandate, nationalism, modern Syria, Bashar al-Assad. Unit 4: Lebanon – French mandate, Hizbullah, modern Lebanon. Unit 5: Jordan – European mandate, independence, modern monarchy.

Block 4: Arab World and Issues / Arab-Islamic Movements
Rise of Arab nationalism and Islamic movements. Key issues facing the Arab world: colonial legacy, political instability, conflicts, and reform efforts.

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