A century ago, as the 400-year-old Ottoman Empire collapsed in the wake of WWI, the victorious Great Powers--primarily Great Britain and France--redrew the region's maps to reflect their own national interests while misunderstanding and ignoring the ideologies, nationalisms, ambitions, and religions of a vast and varied population. Many of the conflicts that characterize the region to this day had their origins in the decisions imposed by European men who "didn't know what they didn't know." This course will examine these men, their motives, and their mistakes.

Moderator: Susan Brogden has a deep interest in the Middle East, especially Palestine and Israel, where she has traveled and lived.