Scholars Online: Videos for Readings
The Middle East in Transition: Questions for U.S. Policy
The printed curriculum The Middle East in Transition: Questions for U.S. Policy provides an overview of the history of the region. Students explore the Arab-Israeli conflict, the significance of oil, the Arab Spring, and other issues that shape U.S. ties to the Middle East. (See detailed description and ordering information.)
Videos for Readings: The videos below follow the outline of the printed curriculum unit. The headings correspond to the headings in the student readings.
Videos for Lessons accompany lessons in the teacher's guide of the printed curriculum unit.
Jo–Anne Hart
Lesley University
Charles Tripp
University of London
Mark Garrison
Brown University
Shahla Haeri
Boston University
Mariam Habibi
NYU-Paris
Senator Jack Reed
U.S. Senator (D-RI)
Daniel Orenstein
Brown University
Melani Cammett
Brown University
Sarah Leah Whitson
Human Rights Watch
Ian Straughn
Brown University
Part I: The Middle East in the World
The Middle East Meets the West
What roles did Britain and Russia play in Iran? [Jo-Anne Hart - 1:18]
How was Great Britain involved in the creation of Iraq? [Charles Tripp - 2:37]
What was the legacy of British imperialism in Iraq? [Charles Tripp – 1:58]
Oil Politics
Why did oil become important during World War I? [Jo-Anne Hart - 1:11]
How has oil affected the history of Iraq? [Charles Tripp – 2:05]
The Birth of Israel
The Middle East and the Cold War
The United States and Iran
How did the United States intervene in Iran in 1953? [Jo-Anne Hart - 2:37]
What was the Iranian Revolution? [Jo-Anne Hart - 1:42]
Why was the 1979 revolution widely supported? [Shahla Haeri - 1:20]
Why is the revolution of 1979 such a significant event? [Mariam Habibi - 1:12]
The Iran-Iraq War
Civil War in Lebanon
The First Persian Gulf War Reshapes U.S. Policy
How has U.S. involvement with Iraq shifted over time? [Charles Tripp - 3:44]
What was Iraq's foreign policy like during Saddam Hussein's rule? [Charles Tripp - 3:42]
Part II: Weighing U.S. Priorities in the Middle East
Oil Trends
Regional Security
Iraq
What motivated the Bush administration to invade Iraq? [Senator Jack Reed - 2:39]
What motivated the Bush administration to invade Iraq? [Charles Tripp - 2:15]
What have you observed during your visits to Iraq? [Senator Jack Reed - 3:59]
What has been the impact of the 2003 Iraq war in terms of regional politics? [Melani Cammett- 2:49]
Iran
What is Iran's role in the Middle East? [Jo-Anne Hart - 1:29]
Why might Iran want nuclear weapons? [Jo-Anne Hart - 1:49]
What do Iranians think about the United States? [Jo-Anne Hart - 1:28]
Resolving the Arab-Israeli Conflict
How do environmental issues affect international politics in the region? [Daniel Orenstein - 2:07]
Can environmental issues create opportunities for cooperation? [Daniel Orenstein - 1:18]
What are the obstacles to resolving environmental issues? [Daniel Orenstein - 1:47]
How do Israelis view their environment? [Daniel Orenstein - 3:02]
The Arab Spring
What is the Arab Spring? [Melani Cammett - 2:04]
What caused the Arab Spring? [Melani Cammett – 3:06]
What have been some of the outcomes of the Arab Spring? [Melani Cammett - 4:00]
What are the United States’ interests in the Middle East? [Melani Cammett - 2:04]
How has the Arab Spring affected U.S. policy in Middle East? [Melani Cammett - 2:50]
What is political Islam? [Melani Cammett - 1:39]
What are the origins of U.S. concerns about political Islam? [Melani Cammett - 2:04]
How does U.S. policy influence human rights around the world? [Sarah Leah Whitson – 1:56]
Note: The following videos of Senator Reed and Professors Cammett and Straughn were filmed during the first months of the Arab Spring protests in early 2011.
What role have social media played in the protests in Egypt and Tunisia? [Melani Cammett - 1:16]
Why do some U.S. politicians place such great emphasis on stability? [Ian Straughn - 1:14]
