Contemp Iran Hist Ideol Strat

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

For nearly 50 years, U.S. policy toward Iran has been one of the most complex challenges facing successive U.S. administrations. Despite often dominating headlines in the United States especially in light of the recent war, Iran’s security thinking and decision-making apparatus remain relatively opaque. Its policies, which are as complex as they are controversial, are often boiled down to sound bites. This course provides students with a comprehensive overview of Tehran’s national security thinking, apparatus, and policies. In the first strand of the course, students familiarize themselves with the key events and ideas that have shaped Iranian security thinking and its political and military culture. In the second strand of the course, students will learn more about the regime’s key national security organizations and armed forces, as well as the different military and security programs at the core of the country’s grand strategy, to include its nuclear and missile program and regional policies. The third and final strand of the course will map out Iran’s relationship with key regional and international players to provide students with an in-depth understanding of its policies in strategic areas.