HIST3514W

Water and Oil focuses on the far‑reaching impacts of environmental change upon Middle Eastern societies, culture, politics, economic development or underdevelopment, and violence. It offers a narrative of the Middle Eastern past that is not framed by a specific place, ethnic group, religion, or intellectual tradition. The course is designed to enable students to think deeply about technology and the environment across the Middle East, and the region’s development as shaped by local practices, global politics, economic interests, and the struggle for resource management.