Posts tagged middle east
![Here’s a map of the Middle East. Looks familiar enough, doesn’t it? Does it? Really? I thought i was familiar enough with this region; with the borders, with the history, but right now i’m enrolled in a politics course that covers the history, circumstances, and events that have given birth to the politics of an area that we have come to know as the “Middle East” and my mind has been blown. It’s only been 7 classes and i can safely say that I haven’t been exposed to so much information (regardless of the fact that it’s a summer courses and, as a result, super-concentrated) in my entire life. I can’t stop taking notes in class even if i wanted to. Nothing is not worthy of being written down, it’s incredible.
The course content, namely the lectures and textbook (which is a GEM, and it’s only 20 bucks!) is incredibly thorough. The units are divided into different countries and so far we’ve covered the region’s rough history reaching all the way back to ancient Mesopotamia, to modern-day Iraq, Iran, Egypt, and just yesterday Syria and Lebanon, with Jordan and Israel-Palestine next week. I want to go on about so many fascinating things i’ve learn about particular countries but i can’t start here (if i do, i won’t end and i have to study [boo.]) though you’ll see them in future posts hopefully. [also, for any UofC students out there that have been sold on my pitch about the above course, it’s POLI 369. take it!]
So why share a map of the Middle East? It doesn’t do justice to all that you have learned, does it? Considering the arbitrariness of borders, the irrelevance of size, and so on? Oh, well because before whenever i used to always look at a map of the Middle East or the region i would, embarrassingly, just focus on Saudi Arabia and gloss over rest of the region (this map doesn’t help because Saudi is the centre) but now Saudi is the country that i can’t help but gloss over (i know, i know Saudi has an equally rich and fascinating history (610 and onward, Muslims know what’s up lol) as well but the other countries are just, wow). And this is for anyone who has been wondering where i’ve been and what i have been absorbed with lately, immersing myself in the history and politics of this awesome region would be it. I definitely recommend dedicating some time to familiarizing yourself with the region, it’ll change the way you think, i think. More specifically though, i hope it’ll give you some hope about the region because there is always hope, you just need to turn the pages of history to see it.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6e44mkxuc1qzwbpgo1_500.jpg)
Here’s a map of the Middle East. Looks familiar enough, doesn’t it? Does it? Really? I thought i was familiar enough with this region; with the borders, with the history, but right now i’m enrolled in a politics course that covers the history, circumstances, and events that have given birth to the politics of an area that we have come to know as the “Middle East” and my mind has been blown. It’s only been 7 classes and i can safely say that I haven’t been exposed to so much information (regardless of the fact that it’s a summer courses and, as a result, super-concentrated) in my entire life. I can’t stop taking notes in class even if i wanted to. Nothing is not worthy of being written down, it’s incredible.
The course content, namely the lectures and textbook (which is a GEM, and it’s only 20 bucks!) is incredibly thorough. The units are divided into different countries and so far we’ve covered the region’s rough history reaching all the way back to ancient Mesopotamia, to modern-day Iraq, Iran, Egypt, and just yesterday Syria and Lebanon, with Jordan and Israel-Palestine next week. I want to go on about so many fascinating things i’ve learn about particular countries but i can’t start here (if i do, i won’t end and i have to study [boo.]) though you’ll see them in future posts hopefully. [also, for any UofC students out there that have been sold on my pitch about the above course, it’s POLI 369. take it!]
So why share a map of the Middle East? It doesn’t do justice to all that you have learned, does it? Considering the arbitrariness of borders, the irrelevance of size, and so on? Oh, well because before whenever i used to always look at a map of the Middle East or the region i would, embarrassingly, just focus on Saudi Arabia and gloss over rest of the region (this map doesn’t help because Saudi is the centre) but now Saudi is the country that i can’t help but gloss over (i know, i know Saudi has an equally rich and fascinating history (610 and onward, Muslims know what’s up lol) as well but the other countries are just, wow). And this is for anyone who has been wondering where i’ve been and what i have been absorbed with lately, immersing myself in the history and politics of this awesome region would be it. I definitely recommend dedicating some time to familiarizing yourself with the region, it’ll change the way you think, i think. More specifically though, i hope it’ll give you some hope about the region because there is always hope, you just need to turn the pages of history to see it.
