Fall 2025 - HIST 355 D100
The Arab Middle East in the Twentieth Century (4)
Class Number: 3915
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Sep 3 – Dec 2, 2025: Tue, 8:30–11:20 a.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Paul Sedra
pdsedra@sfu.ca
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Prerequisites:
45 units, including six units of lower division history. Recommended: one of HIST 151, 249.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
An examination of this century's major themes in the history of Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, as well as other states of the Arabian peninsula. Topics to be investigated include the origins of Arab nationalism and Islamic reformism; the origins and development of the Lebanese question; the emergence of the politics of the military in Iraq and Syria, and the special role of the Jordanian and Arabian monarchies.
COURSE DETAILS:
This course examines major themes in the history of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, and the states of the Arabian Peninsula during the twentieth century. Among the topics students will explore are the legacy of the Ottoman Empire in the Arab world; the development of narratives of Arab nationalism; the political cultures of peasants, workers, and women; the influence of the military upon Arab societies; and the internal dynamics and interactions of monarchical and republican regimes. As the course focuses principally on social, cultural, and political developments within the Arab world, there is little coverage of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Grading
- Two in-class tests 40%
- Research paper 30%
- Debate presentation 15%
- Class participation 15%
Materials
REQUIRED READING:
[N.B. All texts will be available through the SFU library website, at no cost to students.]
- John Chalcraft, Popular Politics in the Making of the Modern Middle East (Cambridge University Press, 2016), https://doi-org.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/10.1017/CBO9780511843952
- journal articles and book chapters, accessible through links on Canvas
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Department Undergraduate Notes:
Learn more about studying History at SFU:
History areas of study
Why study History?
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.
To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit:
- SFU’s Academic Integrity Policy: S10-01 Policy
- SFU’s Academic Integrity website, which includes helpful videos and tips in plain language: Academic Integrity at SFU
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.