Axis of Resist: Iran M.E. Proj

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

The Axis of Resistance: Iran's Project in the Middle East Professor Nadine Zataar For over forty years, the ‘Axis of Resistance’—an Iranian-led political and military coalition of resistance groups—has aimed to spoil and curb growing U.S. influence in the Middle East, something the Islamic Republic perceives as an existential threat. The coalition is a brainchild of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and includes Hezbollah in Lebanon; the Houthis in Yemen; various Shi'ite armed groups in Iraq; Palestinian militants; and Syria. This seminar explores these groups further and their ideological currents. What does it mean to resist and what is the ultimate end goal of the Axis? What is the Shi’a crescent and what role has the Shi’a revival played in garnering popular support among minority populations through the Middle East—and the globe? What fuels the popular support for the Axis and what are its relations with the larger Arab world? What is the role of Iranian hard and soft power in supporting these groups and bolstering their geopolitical position? We will make sense of these questions in part using different theories of behavior within International Relations (IR), leaning heavily into historical milestones in the Middle East. We will marry political theory with real-world case studies and policy analysis. Throughout the seminar we will discuss and critique the approaches of the Axis and U.S. policymakers with one another and consider what type of paradigm shift (if any) is needed to effectuate change. The instructor is a career U.S. diplomat with extensive experience in the Middle East and served as Director for Jordan and Lebanon at the National Security Council from 2022-2024.