America and the Middle East: Histories of Connection and Exchange

This seminar explores the history of connection and exchange between the diverse peoples and societies of two constructed regions: the Middle East and North America. Proceeding chronologically, we begin with the global context of Columbus’s fateful voyage in 1492, before turning to colonial Spanish, Portuguese, and English-British intersections with the Ottoman Empire and Morocco. While including Latin American, Caribbean, and Canadian case studies, the bulk of our course explores US ties to the “Mideast/MENA” region during the 19 th -21 st centuries. Yet, this isn’t a conventional course in diplomatic history. Rather, we’ll read closely for underlying socioeconomic, cultural, and intellectual processes—trade, migration, education, and evolving conceptions of race, religion, and citizenship—themes often overlooked by foreign relations, watershed events, or conflict. Our goal: to recognize how US-Middle East ties are far more complex, rich, and deep-rooted than is generally assumed.