The Making of the Modern Middle East

The ’Middle East’ is rarely out of the headlines, retaining a centrality and exerting extraordinary influence.  Indeed, the very term connotes a region that represents and encapsulates so many of the major currents of historical development, from its most ancient heritage, the emergence of the three principal monotheistic religions, external penetration by a series of very different empires, and on to twentieth century nationalism, world wars, ideologies, post-colonialism and conflict. How can we best begin to understand why as a region it is so contested, often chaotic and frequently violent?  

With its narratives continuing to be dominated by human insecurity, often poor (or even non-existent) governance and degrees of fragility, Rupert Wallace’s series of talks will concentrate on five arenas that will provide a framework within which to analyse and discuss the factors that have contributed to the Middle East that we see today.  

Starting with the demise and collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the twentieth century, which set the conditions for a power vacuum and subsequent western penetration, the first session will look at the transformative effects of the First World War, the Mandates of the inter-war period and the emergence of oil as a key resource, concluding with the convulsive geopolitical shifts occasioned by the Second World War.  The second talk will focus on the Arab-Israeli conflict, discussing the increasingly irreconcilable aspirations of Jews and Arabs, the creation of the State of Israel, the reactions of the Arab states, and the eventual emergence of a Palestinian movement. The third talk will look at the wider situation of the region in the post-war decades, using the lenses of the Cold War, the rise and fall of Arab nationalism and the increasing involvement of the hitherto more distant United States.    

The impact of the much-trumpeted ‘American moment’ as the Soviet Union collapses, analysis of the invasion and occupation of Iraq and the military campaign in Afghanistan, together with the significance of the emergence of revolutionary Iran as a major regional actor, will be the subjects of the fourth talk.  Finally, the fifth session will look at the Arab Uprisings, the significance of two blocs led respectively by Iran and a Sunni/Israeli coalition, and will conclude with a discussion of where we are today and what the future might hold for this crucial region. 

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes for this course are:

• Knowledge and understanding of the key events, developments and individuals in the period;  
• Deepened understanding of the issues relevant to the period, reached through relevant reading and through debate and discussion in class;  
• Construction of reasoned and supported argument in response to questions, based on close and critical reading of the historical literature. 

Classes

1. Transformation: new imperialism, world wars and nationalism, 1900-1945  
2. The Arab-Israeli Conflict: 1881-1967  
3. Independence, Aspirations and Possibilities: 1945-1989  
4. Interventions and the seeds of chaos: 1989-2010  
5. Uprisings, Upheaval and Uncertainty: 2010-2022 and beyond

Required reading

Philip Robins, The Middle East (A Beginner’s Guide), (One World, 2016) 

Eugene Rogan, The Fall of the Ottomans (Allen Lane, 2015) 

Typical week: Monday to Friday

For each week of study you select a morning (Am) and an afternoon (Pm) course, each course has five sessions, one each day Monday to Friday. The maximum class size is 25 students. Your weekly courses are complemented by a series of two daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to the learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events.

Evaluation and Academic Credit 

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses. 

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £65 per essay.

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit.

Certificate of attendance

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically within a week of your courses finishing.