April 6, 2004

what we have been doing in the course

Egypt

old, complex, strong identity

intensity of experience with modernization

shades of imperialism  

shades of independence  

Napoleonic invasion

Muhammad Ali and the new dynasty
        intensive modernization
        successors “rule” until 1952 and military officers’ coup

growing imperial interests

the “modernists”

“liberal” regime, 1922 ff

1948, Israel’s creation, sense of failure in this and subsequent wars

1952ff, the military officers, the secular, nationalist and military regime
        ultimately not able to deliver

authoritarian regime continues: Nasser, Sadat, Mubarak

the radical challenge

current compromise


Saudi Arabia

a recent creation

born in context of “radical Islam”
        link between a religious and a political authority
        the Wahhabi / Saud relationship
the first expansion to Holy Cities

Saud and the conquest of the Arabian peninsula, the 1920s

rivalry with Egypt
        “secular” vs “religious,” Nasser vs Saud and Fahd

situation at the top

situation in the rest of the country