The Middle East History course is aimed at providing students with knowledge of the main lines of development of Middle Eastern history and at deepening the transformations undergone by the region in the period between the end of the 18th century and the beginning of 21st century.
At the end of the course, students will have acquired the theoretical and methodological tools to orient themselves in understanding the historical events of Middle Eastern countries according to the different critical approaches proposed by historiography and will be able to apply these tools to the analysis of the contemporary situation of this region, grasping the roots of instability and persistent conflicts.
Some insights of the course will be dedicated to the following topics:
1. Fundamentals of Muslim religion and civilization.
2. History of Islamic civilization in the Middle East in relation to the other civilizations present in the area, with particular attention to the relations among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
3. Relationship between faith and politics in Islamic civilization. Caliphate and national state between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
4. Origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Reference books:
Basic study module (6 CFU):
1. Carole Hillenbrand, Introduction to Islam: Beliefs and Practices in Historical Perspective, Thames & Hudson, 2015
2. Eugene Rogan, The Arabs: A History, Basic Books
For in-depth study module (3 CFU) students should choose one of the following books:
1. Gilles Kepel, Away from Chaos: The Middle East and the Challenge to the West, Columbia University Press
2. Thomas G. Fraser, The Arab-Israeli Conflict, Red Globe Press
3. David Fromkin, A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East, Holt Paperbacks
Suggested texts for personal readings:
Amin Maalouf, The Crusades Through Arab Eyes, Saqi Books, 2012.