Map of the Middle East. (Image courtesy of the CIA World Factbook.)
Instructor(s)
Prof. Nazli Choucri
MIT Course Number
17.405 / 17.406
As Taught In
Fall 2003
Level
Undergraduate / Graduate
Course Description
Course Features
Course Description
This course focuses on evolution of contemporary politics and economics. The subject is divided into four parts:
- Context: historical and strategic perspectives, theoretical issues, and sources and forms of conflict;
- Continuity: detailed analysis conflicts systems and their persistence, as well as regional competition and recent wars – focusing on specific countries and cases;
- Complexity: highlighting situation specific strategic gains and losses; and
- Convergence: focusing future configurations of conflict and cooperation.
Throughout the course, special attention is given to sources and transformations of power, population dynamics and migration, resources and energy, as well as implications of technological change.