070346 PS BA-Proseminar - Russia and the Middle East 1800-2020 (2020W)

This course offers an examination of the varying and complex relationship between Russia/Soviet Union and the Middle East over the last two centuries. Subjects scrutinized include imagining the Middle East in Russia in the 19th century; the Russo-Turkish Wars (1828-9; 1877-8); the Crimean War, the Russian empire’s ambitions in the Middle East at the turn of the 20th century; presentation of Marxism to the Levant; the changing approaches of the Soviet Union´s strategy towards the Middle East and North Africa during the Cold War; an assessment of Russian strategic theaters of the Levant and the Russian understanding of the US´s approach to the Middle East, and the Red Sea. This course illuminates Arab collaborations with the Soviet Union, the role of Soviet military industry in the region (which followed in the footsteps of that of Russian empire’s presence since 1768), Cold War diplomacy toward the Arab states and Israel, intervention in the conflicts in Lebanon (1975-1990), the Gulf Wars (1980-88; 1990-91; 2003-11) as well as in Syria (2011-). The long time period under examination allows students to assess the differing prospects of the area during colonialism, the Cold War, regional conflicts and under the tide of rising and falling regional hegemons such as Egypt and Turkey. This course brings forth the key importance of observing changing relations and the position of Turkey at one end, the Gulf States at the other and Egypt at the third corner of a triangle shaped area.
Students will be able to identify watershed events and moments in the history of the region and to relate them to the influence and intervention of Russia/ the Soviet Union in the Middle East especially in the aftermaths of the Russian Revolution and WWII. Using both primary and secondary sources, students will be able to analyze and explore political, economic, military and also cultural aspects of this relationship. Students will handle primary sources ranging from documents, speeches, newspapers, to movies and will comment on and analyze these sources through short assignments that demonstrate their critical thinking abilities and skills. They will also write a final research essays.