This course examines a broad range of governments utilizing the comparative method of analysis. Students will study democracies, monarchies, dictatorships and authoritarian forms of government. Students will participate in various class projects emphasizing contemporary problems of the various forms of governments of nation states today. This will take into consideration cultural differences and similarities, human nature, and the approaches of individual governments different from that of the American norm in carrying out their basic responsibility to maintain and strengthen society by equal justice for all of its citizens.

This course examines the evolution of modern Middle Eastern politics. The scope includes political, social, and cultural interactions both within and among the countries located in the Middle East and North Africa. The course involves investigations of the political attitudes and behaviors of prominent players in these regions and a look into the diverse aspirations of specific political, cultural, or demographic groups. In the first weeks of the course, an introduction to the history of the Middle East sets the stage for historic developments that brought about structural dilemmas of today. Evaluating the involvement of outside powers in the politics of region comprises another topic, along with an investigation of how non-state actors affect the future of the region. Discussions concern debates about the prospects of democracy and the future key nations after the Arab Spring

This course covers the geography, culture, society, economy, and religions of the major ethnic and linguistic groups in the Middle East. The course will introduce students to important events and developments, such as the changing dynamics among ethnic and culture groups, the evolving sociological bases of states and societies in the Middle East, the impact of Europe and the West on the Middle East, and more recent events such as the Arab popular uprisings. Because no event or movement occurs without a context, the course examines the cultural and social frameworks.

The region of Central Asia—located between Russia, China, India, and Europe—has emerged from obscurity in recent decades to become a key front in the war against international terrorism and radical Islam. This course explores the political and cultural history of Central Asia, as well as religious and social issues that impact the region’s governmental structures, foreign relations, and security. Students will explore the impact of Russian conquest and Soviet domination of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, as well as the Soviet- Afghan War (1979-1989), before moving on to an analysis of contemporary issues in government and politics in the region. Emphasis will be on the rise of Islamism, great power politics, U.S. involvement in the region after 9/11, “managed democracy,” corruption and economic development, and petropolitics.

This course examines the Middle East peace process surrounding the Arab-Israeli conflict and focuses on the historical perspectives, the roles of the various Middle Eastern countries in the process, Western intervention efforts, and the inherent successes and failures over the years. Purpose is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the background and history of conflict resolution, the hope for peace in the future, and the ability of the various nations to coexist.

This course will enable students to examine Islam and Islamist movements in historical, political, and cultural contexts, and to understand Islam and the Islamic world more broadly. It does not focus on Islamism specifically, but does include it. The breadth of the course content reflects the inconsistent and uncertain usage of the term Islam. Strictly defined, Islam refers only to the religion founded by Muhammad. It is not a political, ethnic, geographic or cultural term any more (or less) than Christianity is. After investigating the origins and expansion of Islam through history, a central theme explored concerns the various expressions of Islam in the Middle East and beyond, and the relationship of theology to polity within Islamic societies and predominantly Muslim nations.