This course examines the history of the Middle East and Afghanistan in the last century or so through the collapse of empires, the emergence of modern states and the rise and consolidation of political Islam. We will emphasise the historical connections between these two regions by exploring themes such as the influence of European Colonialism and American Imperialism, the rise of secular Nationalism, and the impact of the Cold War as they shaped the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran and the rise and consolidation of the Taliban in Afghanistan. We will also study the history of countries and conflicts that are still in the news today: the Palestine/Israeli conflict and the consolidation of oil monarchies in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar which now are the wealthiest in the world.