CPOL 579 Iran, Iraq and the Gulf
Since the beginning of the twentieth century, Iran, Iraq, and the other Gulf states have been key players in the Middle East. Their influence stretches well beyond the region and their complexity has frustrated - and often entangled - a range of outside players. They are countries with complicated and intertwined histories, some of which stretch back thousands of years. This course will initially focus on the post-WWII roots of these states as a foundation for understanding and exploring the social, political, and religious factors that have shaped these countries. Following that, we will explore the key transitions these countries have experienced such as independence, the transition from monarchy to theocracy, and the shift from authoritarian to a proto-democratic federated state, and the Arab Spring. Finally, the course will turn to contemporary developments such as the rise and fall of ISIS into Iraq, the reemergence of the rivalry between Riyadh and Doha, the war in Yemen, and succession in Saudi Arabia.