HIS 1. European Colonialism in the Middle East. From Suez Canal to Suez Crisis

Få overblik på:
- Historie, KA-2022, Almen profil, lektionskatalog efterår 2025
- Historie, KA-2022, Gymnasierettet profil, lektionskatalog efterår 2025
- Historie, KA-2022, Sidefag, lektionskatalog efterår 2025

HIS 1. European Colonialism in the Middle East. From Suez Canal to Suez Crisis
This course is not a history of the Middle East. Rather, this course examines the history of political, military, economic, and cultural intervention by European imperial powers – primarily Britain, France, and Germany – and its enduring impact on the region.

The modern Middle East cannot be fully comprehended without considering the context of European colonialism in the 19th and 20th centuries. From contested borders and interstate disputes to migration, languages, cultures, and inequities in wealth and geopolitical power, the lasting effects of imperialism can be felt throughout the region.

From the construction of the Suez Canal in 1859 to the ‘Suez Crisis’ of 1956, this course will delve into the interaction between European nations and the Ottoman Empire, the pivotal moment of the First World War, the interwar League of Nations mandates, the Second World War, and the subsequent Arab-Israeli conflicts. We will trace the impact of events on Europe’s ‘periphery’ on people and societies in ‘the West’ itself.

The aim is to understand European imperialism on its own terms at a theoretical level while balancing the specificities of regional history with the singularity of human experience. To achieve this, the course combines the analysis of large-scale processes that have shaped the modern Middle East with the exploration of concrete case studies. Ultimately, this course will provide insights into the origins of current debates about the relationship between the Middle East and ‘the West’, knowledge production, and colonial legacies. It will expose students to one of the most innovative areas of current historical research and allow them to engage more deeply with concepts of nationalism, imperialism, ‘Orientalism’, and racism from a variety of perspectives.

Course expectation:
- Regular attendance and active participation are essential.
- The exam consists of a research essay in English.

Course objectives. Ability to:
- have a clear understanding of the impact of European imperialism on the Middle East and current trends in the historiography.
- understand and critically evaluate a range of primary sources and relate them to the wider historiography.
- understand long-term and short-term historical developments.
- analyse a complex historical event from different perspectives.
- understand and use correct terminology in a comprehensible manner.