INTR 4028: Peace and Conflict in the Middle East (Mr L Benjamin)

The Middle East is the most volatile region in world politics. This unit seeks an understanding of the dynamics of domestic, regional and international politics in the Middle East and the placing of the Middle Eastern system of states in the world system. The writings of leading scholars specialising in this vitally important region of the world will be examined. Issues emphasized may include the Arab-Israeli conflict and the conflict over Palestine, the current peace process, the impact of fundamentalist religious movements, the nationalist struggle of the Kurds, water and oil as sources of conflict; prospects for democratization in the Arab World: the foreign policy of Arab States (Egypt Jordan Iraq), South Africa's relations with the Middle East, Regional Organizations in the Middle East, Weapons of Mass Destruction etc.