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THE CHOICES PROGRAM BROWN UNIVERSITY
VIDEO COLLECTION

The Middle East: Questions for U.S. Policy

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Introduction: What is the Middle East?

What are some dos and don’ts for studying the Middle East?
How are societies in the Middle East changing?
What are the United States’ interests in the Middle East?
Why is it important for high school students to learn about the Middle East?
What are some common misunderstandings about the Middle East?

Part I: The Modern Middle East

How has international interest in oil shaped Middle Eastern history?
How has oil affected the history of Iraq?
What was the legacy of British imperialism in Iraq?
What are the legacies of French colonialism in Syria?
What roles did Britain and Russia play in Iran?
How was World War I a turning point for the Ottoman Empire?

Part II: U.S. Policy in the Middle East During and After the Cold War

What was the Cold War?
Why did Mohammad Mosaddegh nationalize Iran’s oil industry?
What major historical events have shaped relations between Iran and the United States?
How has U.S. imperialism in the Middle East differed from European imperialism?
What was the Iranian Revolution?
Why was the 1979 revolution widely supported?
What is political Islam?
What are the origins of U.S. concerns about political Islam?
How did U.S. interests in the Middle East shift over time?

Part III: U.S. Middle East Policy in the Twenty-First Century

Why is it essential to study the United States as an empire?
What was U.S. involvement in Iraq before its 2003 invasion?
What motivated the Bush administration to invade Iraq?
Do you think that British and U.S. leaders had a good understanding of Iraqi history when they decided to go to war?
How did the Iraq War affect women’s liberation?
How has the Kurdish political movement in Turkey changed over time?
What was Iran’s Green Movement of 2009?
Why is the term Arab Spring problematic?
What are some of the long term effects of the Arab Spring on the Middle East and North Africa?
What are the most pressing human rights issues facing the Middle East and North Africa?
How did the Syrian Civil War begin?
How has the Syrian Civil War sparked a refugee crisis?
Why is the role of youth in the Middle East important?

Lesson: The Geography of the Middle East

What are some dos and don’ts for studying the Middle East?

Lesson: Primary Source Analysis: The Creation of Israel

Why is there a conflict between Israelis and Palestinians?
How did the events of 1948 affect the lives of Palestinians and Israelis?
How did the events of 1967 affect the lives of Palestinians and Israelis?

Lesson: Graffiti in the Egyptian Revolution

What happened in Egypt in November 2011?
What are some of the long term effects of the Arab Spring on the Middle East and North Africa?

Lesson: Syrian Refugees: Understanding Stories with Comics (Online)

How did the Syrian Civil War begin?
How has the Syrian Civil War sparked a refugee crisis?
What are refugees and internally displaced persons?
  • March 25, 2011

Lesson: Local Perspectives from the Middle East

What are the United States’ interests in the Middle East?
What is life like for Palestinians?
What do Iranians want for their future?
How do Iraqis envision their future?
How do Egyptians envision their country’s future?
How do Lebanese people envision their country’s future?
How does feminist activism shape the Middle East?
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