The Arab identity, Arab nationalism, nation states, Arab Spring, spread of Islamism and fundamentalism versus conservatism as well as traditionalism, Sunni – Shia relations, modern world challenges and many more issues concerning the Middle East can be better understood by studying history of the region in detail with a balanced reading. This survey course aims to shed a light on current affairs in the Middle East through milestones in the Arab history. The course will cover history of the Arab world from pre-Islamic period to 1920’s through in-class discussions. The course is designed in two sections: first half will be dealing with important historic events till collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and second half will focus on the Arab identity and emergence of Arab nationalism, and foundation of nation states.
This is a three hour weekly course; in every session, one hour will be spared for a discussion on current political and social issues. Student presentation will be an important component of this course.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to understand:
In detail, history of the Arab Middle East and Islam.
Have a good knowledge of arts, literature, poetry in Middle Eastern culture.
Have an idea of building Arab identity using ancient references.
Nationalism and its influence in the Middle East.
Reforms in the Ottoman Empire and their effect in the Middle East.
Collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the partition in the Middle East.
New nation states in the Middle East and western interest in the region.
‘Pre-Islamic Arabia’, Irfan Shahid in The Cambridge History of Islam, Ed. by P. M. Holt, Ann K. S. Lambton and Bernard Lewis, 2000, pp. 3-29.
Albert Hourani, A History of the Arab Peoples, Harvard University Press, 1991, 7-37.
‘The Patriarchal and Umayyad Caliphates’, Laura Veccia Vaglieri in The Cambridge History of Islam, Ed. by P. M. Holt, Ann K. S. Lambton and Bernard Lewis, 2000, pp. 57-103.
WEEK 2 A General History of the Arab World
* Umayyad Period & Abbasid Periods: society and politics, power struggle, literature, literary criticism.
Albert Hourani, A History of the Arab Peoples, Harvard University Press, 1991, 37-82.
‘The Abbasid Caliphate’, D. Sourdel, in The Cambridge History of Islam, Ed. by P. M. Holt, Ann K. S. Lambton and Bernard Lewis, 2000, pp. 104-140.
Ira M. Lapidus, A History of Islamic Societies, Cambridge University Press, 1995, pp. 11-20.
WEEK 3 Ottoman Empire
* Establishment, expansion, decline, desire for change (up to Selim III and Mahmud II) and the Middle East
* Tanzimat (1838-1876) reforms, modernization and the Hamidian Periods (1876-1908) and their influence in the Middle East
Halil Inalcik, The Ottoman Empire - Classical Age, Phonix Press, 1988, pp. 55-103.
Colin Imber, The Ottoman Empire, 1300 - 1650, Palgrave Mac Millan, pp. 177-206.
Between old and new; the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Selim III, 1789-1807 [by] Stanford J. Shaw. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1971, pp.71-180.
WEEK 4 Late 19th Century Middle East
How the political elite worked hard to ‘re-create’ the Arab identity
‘A Different Balance of Power: Europe and the Middle East in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries’, Abdul-Karim Rafeq, A Companion to the History of the Middle East, Ed. by Youssef M. Choueiri, Blackwell, 2005, pp. 229-247.
The Ottoman Empire and Egypt During the Era of Tanzimat, William Cleveland, A History of the Modern Middle East, Westview Press, 2000, pp. 81-101.
Middle East Economic Development, 1815 - 1914 : the General and the Specific, Charles Issawi, The Modern Middle East, Eds. Albert Hourani, Philip Khoury, Mary C. Wlison, I. B. Tauris, 2004, pp. 177-194.
‘From Ottomanism to Arabism: The Origin of an Ideology’, C. Ernst Dawn, The Modern Middle East, Eds. Albert Hourani, Philip Khoury, Mary C. Wlison, I. B. Tauris, 2004, pp. 375-394.
WEEK 5 Student Presentations on Arab Identity
WEEK 6 World War I and Collapse of an Empire
Nationalist and other movements in the region, Balkans, collapse of the Ottoman Empire, western interest in the region.
‘The Challenge of Modernity’, The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years, Touchstone Books, 1996, pp.273-357.
‘World War I and the End of the Ottoman Order’, William Cleveland, A History of the Modern Middle East, Westview Press, 2000, pp. 146-171.
‘World War I and the Middle East State System’, The Modern Middle East: A History, James Gelvin, Oxford University Press, 2005, pp.171-205.
WEEK 7 MIDTERM EXAM
WEEK 8 Arab nationalism and Emergence of nation states in the Middle East
Success of Arab nationalism, its contribution to building nation states in the Middle East.
‘Nationalisms in the Middle East: The Case of Pan-Arabism’, Youssef M. Choueiri, A Companion to the History of the Middle East, Ed. by Youssef M. Choueiri, Blackwell, 2005, pp. 291-312.
‘The States-System in the Middle East: origins, development, and prospects’, Simon Bromley, A Companion to the History of the Middle East, Ed. by Youssef M. Choueiri, Blackwell, 2005, pp. 504–533.
‘1919: Labor Upsurge and National Revolution’, Joel Beinin and Zachary Lockman, The Modern Middle East, Eds. Albert Hourani, Philip Khoury, Mary C. Wlison, I. B. Tauris, 2004, pp. 395-428.
WEEK 9 Student Presentations on Arab Nationalism
WEEK 10 Arab Nationalism and Arab States
‘The Origins of Private Ownership of Land in Egypt: a Reappraisal’,Kenneth M. Cuno, The Modern Middle East, Eds. Albert Hourani, Philip Khoury, Mary C. Wlison, I. B. Tauris, 2004, pp. 195-228.
‘Syrian Urban Politics in Transition: the Quarters of Damascus during the French Mandate, Philip S. Khouri, The Modern Middle East, Eds. Albert Hourani, Philip Khoury, Mary C. Wlison, I. B. Tauris, 2004, pp. 429-468.
‘Of the Diversity of Iraqis , the Incohesivness of their Society, and their Progress in the Monarchic Period Toward a Consolidated Political Structure’, Hanna Batatu, The Modern Middle East, Eds. Albert Hourani, Philip Khoury, Mary C. Wlison, I. B. Tauris, 2004, pp. 503-528.
WEEK 11 Independence and Nation Building
‘Zionism and the Palestine Question’, Emma C. Murphy, A Companion to the History of the Middle East, Ed. by Youssef M. Choueiri, Blackwell, 2005, pp. 269-290.
‘Turkish and Iranian Nationalisms’, Ioannis N. Grigoriadis and Ali Ansari, A Companion to the History of the Middle East, Ed. by Youssef M. Choueiri, Blackwell, 2005, pp. 313-333.
‘Political Parties and Trade Unions’, Raymond Hinnebusch, A Companion to the History of the Middle East, Ed. by Youssef M. Choueiri, Blackwell, 2005, pp. 334-354.
WEEK 12 The Struggle for Independence: The Interwar Era to the End of World War II
‘Authoritarian Reform in Turkey and Iran’, ‘The Arab Struggle for Independence: Egypt, Iraq, and Transjordan from the Interwar Era to 1945’, ‘The Arab Struggle for Independence: Syria, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia from the Interwar Era to 1945’, ‘The Palestine Mandate and the Birth of the State of Israel’, William Cleveland, A History of the Modern Middle East, Westview Press, 2000, pp. 172-264.
WEEK 13 REVISION
WEEK 14 FINAL ASSESMENT
Recommended readings:
1 - A. Hourani, P. Khouri & M. Wilson (ed.), The Modern Middle East, London, 1993.
2 - W. Cleveland, A History of the Modern Middle East, USA, 1994.
3 - Emory C. Bogle, The Modern Middle East - From Emperialism to Freedom, 1800-1958, USA, 1996.
4 - Albert Hourani, A History of the Arab Peoples, Harvard University Press, 1991.
5 - J. Gelvin, The Modern Middle East A History, Oxford, 2005.
6 - Youssef M. Choueiri (ed.), A Campanion to the History of the Middle East, Blackwell Publishing, 2005.
7 - Between old and new; the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Selim III, 1789-1807 [by] Stanford J. Shaw.
Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1971.
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Dr. Vehbi Baysan is currently lecturer at Yeditepe University in Istanbul, teaching courses on the Middle East and reforms in the Ottoman Empire. Dr. Baysan studied at Istanbul University Eastern languages and literature – Arabic and Persian and joined in post graduate program at Yarmouk University in Irbid – Jordan, where he started Turkish as a Foreign Language courses as elective courses. Following the success of the program at Yarmouk University, he was asked to establish a Turkish Language Program at Al Al-Bayt University in Mafraq, Jordan. After graduating with Higher Diploma, he joined in the PhD program at the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at Manchester University in the UK. During his PhD studies Dr. Baysan gave lectures at Manchester University, London School of Economics (LSE), School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). Upon returning to Turkey, Dr. Baysan worked at Koç University in Istanbul and later started working at Yeditepe University. Dr. Baysan served many years as the Director of International Office at Yeditepe University.
The Arab identity, Arab nationalism, nation states, Arab Spring, spread of Islamism and fundamentalism versus conservatism as well as traditionalism, Sunni – Shia relations, modern world challenges and many more issues concerning the Middle East can be better understood by studying history of the region in detail with a balanced reading. This survey course aims to shed a light on current affairs in the Middle East through milestones in the Arab history. The course will cover history of the Arab world from pre-Islamic period to 1920’s through in-class discussions. The course is designed in two sections: first half will be dealing with important historic events till collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and second half will focus on the Arab identity and emergence of Arab nationalism, and foundation of nation states.
This is a three hour weekly course; in every session, one hour will be spared for a discussion on current political and social issues. Student presentation will be an important component of this course.
By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to understand:
Lectures, seminar discussions, students’ presentations, guest lectures.
Class participation (20%); midterm (25%); Research paper and class discussion (25%); final exam (30%).
WEEK 1 A General History of the Arab World
*Pre-Islamic (Jahiliya) & Islamic Periods: society, poetry, Bedouins, nomadic life styles
‘Pre-Islamic Arabia’, Irfan Shahid in The Cambridge History of Islam, Ed. by P. M. Holt, Ann K. S. Lambton and Bernard Lewis, 2000, pp. 3-29.
Albert Hourani, A History of the Arab Peoples, Harvard University Press, 1991, 7-37.
‘The Patriarchal and Umayyad Caliphates’, Laura Veccia Vaglieri in The Cambridge History of Islam, Ed. by P. M. Holt, Ann K. S. Lambton and Bernard Lewis, 2000, pp. 57-103.
WEEK 2 A General History of the Arab World
* Umayyad Period & Abbasid Periods: society and politics, power struggle, literature, literary criticism.
Albert Hourani, A History of the Arab Peoples, Harvard University Press, 1991, 37-82.
‘The Abbasid Caliphate’, D. Sourdel, in The Cambridge History of Islam, Ed. by P. M. Holt, Ann K. S. Lambton and Bernard Lewis, 2000, pp. 104-140.
Ira M. Lapidus, A History of Islamic Societies, Cambridge University Press, 1995, pp. 11-20.
WEEK 3 Ottoman Empire
* Establishment, expansion, decline, desire for change (up to Selim III and Mahmud II) and the Middle East
* Tanzimat (1838-1876) reforms, modernization and the Hamidian Periods (1876-1908) and their influence in the Middle East
Halil Inalcik, The Ottoman Empire - Classical Age, Phonix Press, 1988, pp. 55-103.
Colin Imber, The Ottoman Empire, 1300 - 1650, Palgrave Mac Millan, pp. 177-206.
Between old and new; the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Selim III, 1789-1807 [by] Stanford J. Shaw. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1971, pp.71-180.
WEEK 4 Late 19th Century Middle East
How the political elite worked hard to ‘re-create’ the Arab identity
‘A Different Balance of Power: Europe and the Middle East in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries’, Abdul-Karim Rafeq, A Companion to the History of the Middle East, Ed. by Youssef M. Choueiri, Blackwell, 2005, pp. 229-247.
The Ottoman Empire and Egypt During the Era of Tanzimat, William Cleveland, A History of the Modern Middle East, Westview Press, 2000, pp. 81-101.
Middle East Economic Development, 1815 - 1914 : the General and the Specific, Charles Issawi, The Modern Middle East, Eds. Albert Hourani, Philip Khoury, Mary C. Wlison, I. B. Tauris, 2004, pp. 177-194.
‘From Ottomanism to Arabism: The Origin of an Ideology’, C. Ernst Dawn, The Modern Middle East, Eds. Albert Hourani, Philip Khoury, Mary C. Wlison, I. B. Tauris, 2004, pp. 375-394.
WEEK 5 Student Presentations on Arab Identity
WEEK 6 World War I and Collapse of an Empire
Nationalist and other movements in the region, Balkans, collapse of the Ottoman Empire, western interest in the region.
‘The Challenge of Modernity’, The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years, Touchstone Books, 1996, pp.273-357.
‘World War I and the End of the Ottoman Order’, William Cleveland, A History of the Modern Middle East, Westview Press, 2000, pp. 146-171.
‘World War I and the Middle East State System’, The Modern Middle East: A History, James Gelvin, Oxford University Press, 2005, pp.171-205.
WEEK 7 MIDTERM EXAM
WEEK 8 Arab nationalism and Emergence of nation states in the Middle East
Success of Arab nationalism, its contribution to building nation states in the Middle East.
‘Nationalisms in the Middle East: The Case of Pan-Arabism’, Youssef M. Choueiri, A Companion to the History of the Middle East, Ed. by Youssef M. Choueiri, Blackwell, 2005, pp. 291-312.
‘The States-System in the Middle East: origins, development, and prospects’, Simon Bromley, A Companion to the History of the Middle East, Ed. by Youssef M. Choueiri, Blackwell, 2005, pp. 504–533.
‘1919: Labor Upsurge and National Revolution’, Joel Beinin and Zachary Lockman, The Modern Middle East, Eds. Albert Hourani, Philip Khoury, Mary C. Wlison, I. B. Tauris, 2004, pp. 395-428.
WEEK 9 Student Presentations on Arab Nationalism
WEEK 10 Arab Nationalism and Arab States
‘The Origins of Private Ownership of Land in Egypt: a Reappraisal’,Kenneth M. Cuno, The Modern Middle East, Eds. Albert Hourani, Philip Khoury, Mary C. Wlison, I. B. Tauris, 2004, pp. 195-228.
‘Syrian Urban Politics in Transition: the Quarters of Damascus during the French Mandate, Philip S. Khouri, The Modern Middle East, Eds. Albert Hourani, Philip Khoury, Mary C. Wlison, I. B. Tauris, 2004, pp. 429-468.
‘Of the Diversity of Iraqis , the Incohesivness of their Society, and their Progress in the Monarchic Period Toward a Consolidated Political Structure’, Hanna Batatu, The Modern Middle East, Eds. Albert Hourani, Philip Khoury, Mary C. Wlison, I. B. Tauris, 2004, pp. 503-528.
WEEK 11 Independence and Nation Building
‘Zionism and the Palestine Question’, Emma C. Murphy, A Companion to the History of the Middle East, Ed. by Youssef M. Choueiri, Blackwell, 2005, pp. 269-290.
‘Turkish and Iranian Nationalisms’, Ioannis N. Grigoriadis and Ali Ansari, A Companion to the History of the Middle East, Ed. by Youssef M. Choueiri, Blackwell, 2005, pp. 313-333.
‘Political Parties and Trade Unions’, Raymond Hinnebusch, A Companion to the History of the Middle East, Ed. by Youssef M. Choueiri, Blackwell, 2005, pp. 334-354.
WEEK 12 The Struggle for Independence: The Interwar Era to the End of World War II
‘Authoritarian Reform in Turkey and Iran’, ‘The Arab Struggle for Independence: Egypt, Iraq, and Transjordan from the Interwar Era to 1945’, ‘The Arab Struggle for Independence: Syria, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia from the Interwar Era to 1945’, ‘The Palestine Mandate and the Birth of the State of Israel’, William Cleveland, A History of the Modern Middle East, Westview Press, 2000, pp. 172-264.
WEEK 13 REVISION
WEEK 14 FINAL ASSESMENT
1 - A. Hourani, P. Khouri & M. Wilson (ed.), The Modern Middle East, London, 1993.
2 - W. Cleveland, A History of the Modern Middle East, USA, 1994.
3 - Emory C. Bogle, The Modern Middle East - From Emperialism to Freedom, 1800-1958, USA, 1996.
4 - Albert Hourani, A History of the Arab Peoples, Harvard University Press, 1991.
5 - J. Gelvin, The Modern Middle East A History, Oxford, 2005.
6 - Youssef M. Choueiri (ed.), A Campanion to the History of the Middle East, Blackwell Publishing, 2005.
7 - Between old and new; the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Selim III, 1789-1807 [by] Stanford J. Shaw.
Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1971.
Dr. Vehbi Baysan is currently lecturer at Yeditepe University in Istanbul, teaching courses on the Middle East and reforms in the Ottoman Empire. Dr. Baysan studied at Istanbul University Eastern languages and literature – Arabic and Persian and joined in post graduate program at Yarmouk University in Irbid – Jordan, where he started Turkish as a Foreign Language courses as elective courses. Following the success of the program at Yarmouk University, he was asked to establish a Turkish Language Program at Al Al-Bayt University in Mafraq, Jordan. After graduating with Higher Diploma, he joined in the PhD program at the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at Manchester University in the UK. During his PhD studies Dr. Baysan gave lectures at Manchester University, London School of Economics (LSE), School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). Upon returning to Turkey, Dr. Baysan worked at Koç University in Istanbul and later started working at Yeditepe University. Dr. Baysan served many years as the Director of International Office at Yeditepe University.