OSHER 654 - The Middle East: Paths to Conflict

In January 1919, at the end of World War I, the world's leading diplomats gathered in Paris and made promises of world peace and self-determination. However, the treaties they wrote led to World War II and almost continuous conflicts in the Middle East. In each class, participants will examine a particular segment of the history of the Middle East and see how it has contributed to the situation there today. Students will learn about the peoples that populate the Middle East, religious movements, political movements, kings and dictators, and the intrigues of European and American diplomats and companies. Each session will culminate with a class discussion.