For decades, the Middle East has been a major epicentre of central relevance to contemporary politics. Each year global and regional power rivalries with far-reaching consequences for the focus peoples of the subject is adapted to reflect the latest region as well as global developments in contemporary politics. Topics will draw politics and security. This subject focuses on the expertise intersection of teaching staff global and be selected based on their relevance regional power politics to examine some of the main drivers of political, economic, and interest social changes in the region. It begins with an introduction to students, the expansion of imperialism and the modern state system in the region at the end of the First World War and the rise of major ideological forces such as nationalism and political Islam. It then investigates the drivers of contemporary politics and (in)security in the region, such as policies of Western powers, including the United States, regional rivalries between Iran and Saudi Arabia, militant jihadist movements, and the impact of the 2011-2013 Arab Spring protest movements across the region. Throughout the subject, you will be encouraged to critically engage with debates about democracy, authoritarianism, social movements, and human rights.