The Wilsonian Moment

HIST 3516A: The Wilsonian Moment
Fall 2026

Instructor: Hussam R. Ahmed

Course Description: 

This course explores how the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after the First World War reshaped the modern Middle East. It examines how ideas such as Woodrow Wilson’s advocacy of self‑determination, the creation of the League of Nations, and international diplomacy drew the map of the Middle East as we know it today. Structured around key case studies, such as the British Mandates for Iraq and Palestine, the course introduces students to the primary sources available for analyzing the characteristics, local responses and consequences of these major transformations. Students will learn how to locate, categorize, and critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of these sources in order to construct coherent historical arguments and persuasive interpretations of the past.

Organization:

This class will meet in person. Our time will be split between lectures and in-class discussions.