INTS 243 Government and Politics of the Middle East

This course explores the Middle East as a region of striking contrasts: oil-rich states and emerging democracies, military regimes and grassroots activists, Islamist movements and secular reformers, ethnic and religious minorities navigating global forces. Far from monolithic, it is a region defined by diversity, complexity, and constant change. By examining conflicts, uprisings, and political experiments, students develop critical skills to analyze real-world political dynamics and gain a nuanced, global perspective. They come away with a deeper understanding of the region’s resilience and contradictions, appreciating how diversity, culture, and power intersect to shape societies across the Middle East.