PEAC 003. The Middle East and North Africa

This introductory course assumes that students have little or no background in the study of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). We will adopt an interdisciplinary approach to historicizing recent socio-economic and political transformations in the region. In our study of modern Middle Eastern social movements, we will address the role of race, ethnicity, colonialism, art, faith, and politics, the impact of technology, media, women’s rights, and LGBTQ organizing, as well as economic liberalization, entrepreneurship, and the politics of oil. Additional themes we will explore are the role of youth in catalyzing social change as well as the impact of conflict and violence. We will also trace the emergence and consequences of the “Arab Spring.”

Social sciences.
1 credit.
Eligible for ISLM
Spring 2026. Atshan.
Catalog chapter: Peace and Conflict Studies
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/peace-conflict-studies

Access the class schedule to search for sections.