T.E. Lawrence, David Ben-Gurion, Sharif Hussein and Gertrude Bell all played important roles in shaping the Middle East of the 20th and 21st centuries. They were prominent in the period when Arab and Jewish nationalism were growing and they were leaders in establishing political movements and modern states that evolved from them. We look at these people and trace their roles and evaluate their contributions to the creation of the Middle East that we have inherited. This gives us a greater understanding of this part of the world today.

DELIVERY MODE

• Hybrid (Face-to-Face & Online simultaneously)

COURSE OUTLINE

• David Ben-Gurion, the founding father of modern Israel. He illustrates the energy and mission of the first modern Zionists
• T.E. Lawrence played a crucial role in developing a sense of Arab nationalism and attempted to bring them into the modern world
• Sharif Hussein carried the hopes and aspirations of early Arab nationalism. A wily leader, he propelled Arab identity onto the world stage
• Gertrude Bell, was an unusual person – a woman playing a powerful role in the Middle East in the early 20th century. She was not only a student of Arab history but played a key role in king-making after WWI

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Understand the role that each individual played in the early 20th century Middle East
2. Evaluate the contribution of each person
3. Project into the years that followed these people to see how their contribution was crucial to generations following
4. Understand the present day in the light of these people and their actions