Politics of the Middle East and North Africa

In this unit, you will examine the interplay of external and internal factors in shaping the modern political environment of the Middle East and North Africa. Starting with an overview of the establishment of the state system during and after the colonial period, you will examine the emergence of the modern state system including patterns of authoritarian and semi-authoritarian governance in the region. You will also explore the interplay between political economy, ideology and identity politics and the impacts of foreign intervention alongside specific issues such as the Arab-Israeli conflict, uprisings and conflict in the region since 2010, nuclear proliferation and security issues, the Islamic Revolution in Iran, and others.