History 322
HIST 322
Middle East in the World: 600-1700 (GL) (WI)
1. Catalog Entry
HIST 322
Middle East in the World: 600-1700 (GL) (WI)
Credit hours (3)
Prerequisite: Three hours of HIST at 100 level
This course covers the major cultural, political, social, economic, and environmental aspects of the history of the Middle East from the seventh to the eighteenth century. Students will learn about the history of Islam, the spread of the early Caliphates, and the imperial dimensions of the Eastern Mediterranean world.
Note(s): Humanistic or Artistic Expression designated course.
2. Detailed Description of Course
This course is a survey of Middle East history from the seventh to the seventeenth centuries. It will cover the major political, cultural, and social developments that took place over this period. The course will cover topics as diverse as the birth of Islam, the impact of the Mongol invasions on the region, the Black Death of the 14th century, and the rise of the Ottoman Empire. Throughout, the focus will be on the global structures, networks, and relationships that made the region such a dynamic place.
The course will also ask students to consider the changing definition of the “Middle East” throughout the millennium we cover. The term “Middle East” encompasses a vast and diverse region, extending from Central Asia to Western Sahara, from the headwaters of the White Nile to the Bosporus. The breadth of political, cultural, and historical variety contained within this world region is staggering; while accepting the Middle East as a coherent concept, the course will strive to give students some understanding of its world-historical context. The course goal is to situate the Middle East within the larger scope of world history, to gain a knowledge base that will allow students to better comprehend the processes of history. As the North African philosopher and historian Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406) suggested, we will try to understand both the “surface” of history – dates, events, and persons – and also its “inner meaning.”
3. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
The course will consist of a combination of lectures and discussions, some of which will be student-led. Students may also be required to make formal presentations to the class.
4. Goals and Objectives of the Course
Having successfully completed this course, students will be able to:
1) Students will practice thinking critically and analytically about historical issues, acquire a broader knowledge and deeper understanding of
pertinent historical events and processes, and cultivate a familiarity with the concepts of historical argument and interpretation. Research
certification in the fitness and strength and conditioning fields.
2) Students will develop disciplinary research skills by designing strategies to locate and analyze primary and secondary source evidence,
processing and organizing the resultant data, and composing proper citation and bibliographical entries.
3) Students will apply their critical thinking, research, and compositional skills to the creation and presentation of thesis driven essays that discuss,
for example, historical social, economic, political, and/or cultural developments and that address issues such as the causes and consequences of
historical change and continuity.
5. Assessment Measures
Course assessment may consist of tests and paper assignments, some of which may require significant student research.
6. Other Course Information
None.
Review and Approval
April 23, 2014
March 01, 2021