This course provides an overview of the history, politics, and international relations of the broader Middle East and North Africa region – from Morocco to the Southern Arabian Peninsula – covering the period from the 16^th through the 20^th century. The first part of the course focuses on the historical developments and social settings of contemporary states and political movements that form the antecedents to today’s “Middle East”. The second half utilizes various analytical perspectives from history, economics, and political science as lenses through which to observe patterns of contemporary conditions and political developments in the region.