Middle East & the West(3)
Term:
Fall 2010
Subject Code:
GPOL
Course Number:
5129
The first objective of this course is to explore the diplomatic, military,
economic and cultural contacts between societies of the Middle East and
the West, concentrating on American-Middle East relations in the period
since 1945, to explore the broader implications and possibilities of crosscultural
contact and understanding within the context of the global system.
The second objective of this course is to examine Western knowledge and
views of the societies and culture of the Middle East. Is the acquisition of
knowledge about societies and cultures enough to be a true citizen of the
world? Should we examine the development of societies according to their
own standards, or can we, and should we, compare societies to a set of
universal standards of political and economic practice? How do we know
that our knowledge of another culture is objective�not biased by our own
experiences, expectations and norms? The third objective of this course is
to provide a venue in which to examine critically American policy in the
Middle East. What have been the underlying assumptions and goals of
American policy? How did these develop, and how have they changed over
the past 60 years? To what extent does current American policy represent the
best in �world citizenship,� and to what extent do existing policies support
or contradict stated American objectives in the Middle East? Cross-listed as
GPOL 5129 and LHIS 4516.
< back
