Iran the Gulf Arab Countries

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Iran and its Arab Gulf neighbors have taken steps in recent years to de-escalate tensions, even as the prospect of a regional armed conflict still looms large. This seminar explores how and why this happened. Will competing claims for regional hegemony by Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates spell a future of competition and conflict? What is the role of smaller but important players such as Qatar and Oman? How has China’s creeping influence in the Middle East changed the geopolitical landscape? We will make sense of these questions in part using different coalition-building theories of behavior within International Relations. We will absorb a healthy dose of theory, but more importantly we will apply it to real world policy analysis. Our focus throughout the seminar will be on how to craft a compelling memo using vivid writing and persuasive arguments. The instructor is a career U.S. Foreign Service Officer who served recently as Director for Gulf Affairs at the National Security Council.