301.624.2888 FCCILR.org 17 Middle Eastern Studies ILR378 Palestine and Israel, Twice-Promised Land: An Exploration Through Film 5 sessions, 12.5 hours | 55+ This course provides a rare opportunity to examine one of the most important and contentious issues of our time. For more than seven decades, the Palestine-Israel conflict, the “most fundamental fault line in the Middle East,” has stood at the epicenter of political debate in the region and beyond. The 2020 “deal of the century” notwithstanding, peace continues to elude the Holy Land. The persistent failure to resolve the competing visions held by the inhabitants of a land that is sacred to three great religious traditions is a tragedy of the modern age, not only for Arabs and Jews, but also for international stability. This conflict has become a lightning rod, a measure by which the efficacy of public policy and respect for international law are measured and evaluated. This course will explore the historic roots of this intractable issue, untangle the deeply held convictions of protagonists on both sides, examine popular misconceptions, analyze the effects of policies that impact the inhabitants of the Holy Land, and consider the role of the United States in the Middle East as it relates to this conflict, including the influence of Christian Zionism in American foreign policy. Instructor: Linda Pappas Funsch 5-Digit Number: 25757 | Tue, 1:00 - 3:30 p.m., 9/19 - 10/17 Location: Sweadner Hall Tuition: $10 | Fee: $49 | Total: $59 | MD residents age 60+ pay fee only ILR738 Focus on Arabia: The Gulf Cooperation Council 5 sessions, 10 hours | 55+ The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a subregional organization consisting of the six petroleum-rich Arab monarchies of the Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman. Located along the most important geopolitical axis in the world and blessed with extensive hydrocarbon resources, the countries of the GCC are critical to the global economy. Their dramatic transformation to modernity in less than three generations is unparalleled in modern history. While the economies of these traditional societies have soared, so, too, have the challenges that accompany staggering affluence, rapid globalization, and increased international scrutiny. Among topics discussed will be the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia vis-à-vis its neighbors, including its costly and prolonged entanglement in Yemen, its unique relationship with the UAE, and its rapprochement with Qatar. Of special interest is the diminution of the role of the United States visà-vis the countries of the GCC as growing Chinese and Russian influence continue to challenge historic assumptions between America and its major partners in the region. Instructor: Linda Pappas Funsch 5-Digit Number: 25758 | Tue, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., 10/31 - 11/28 Location: Sweadner Hall Tuition: $10 | Fee: $39 | Total: $49 | MD residents age 60+ pay fee only LIR270 Exploring Perceptions: A Middle East Roundtable New to the Middle East Program! 1 session, 1.5 hours | 55+ | Fee: $29 For the first time ever, veterans and newcomers to the Middle East Studies program are invited to participate in one or more of three discussion-based seminars designed to explore a wide range of questions about the modern Middle East, a fascinating, if complex, region characterized by elements of cultural cohesion as well as great diversity. The instructor, a veteran educator and specialist in Middle Eastern studies and Islamic history, will lead informal discussions on select topics. People and Culture: 5-Digit Number: 25759 Tue, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m., 9/5 Location: Conference Center/E138 The Religious Dimension: 5-Digit Number: 25760 Thu, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m., 9/7 Location: Conference Center/E138 Empires and Nation States: 5-Digit Number: 25761 Tue, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m., 9/12 Location: Conference Center/E138 Note: Special pricing for these offerings is made possible by a generous donation from the Cruickshank Wolfe Fund. Courses will meet on campus in an in-person environment.
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