The Middle East in the 20th Century

by Eamonn Gearon

It is impossible to understand our world today without understanding the last 100 years of Middle Eastern history. The history of the region in the 20th century is so varied and complex that it defies easy explanations. Shifting borders, governmental overthrows, ethnic and nationalist tensions, and political and economic forces on the world stage all had a hand in shaping the course of Middle Eastern history. Ultimately, however, the story is one of people searching for self-determination, from the stumbling alliances after the fall of the Ottoman Empire to the Arab Spring uprisings.

Now that we have some historical distance from the tumultuous 20th century, it is a great time to take a historical deep dive into the history of the region. The Middle East in the 20th Century offers a marvelous introduction to this story and sheds an important light on the geopolitical stage today. Taught by author and Arabist Eamonn Gearon, these 24 enlightening and well-thought-out lessons bring clarity to a convoluted region and linear organization to a multifaceted story.

These lessons introduce you to the people, places, and leaders over the ages, and over the course, Eamonn revisits several significant events from different perspectives, including the role of the British in shaping the region in the wake of the Ottoman Empire, the formation of Israel, and the US-Soviet Cold War conflicts playing out in this period. International forces had a particularly strong impact on the history of the Middle East and North Africa. For instance, the discovery of oil in Iran in 1908 set in motion a series of alliances and conflicts ranging from the Suez Crisis of 1956 to the oil shocks of the 1970s to the 21st-century wars in Iraq and Syria.

Sometimes inspiring, sometimes tragic, and always fascinating, The Middle East in the 20th Century is an absolute must for anyone who wants to understand our world today.

Genres: History, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Middle East, Politics, The World, Religion

Audiobook

Published October 18, 2021

Reviews

[Mayaj · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is what it is and what it is sucks.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a LOT here and honestly parts of it were overwhelming because I didn't have a lot of background knowledge. However, I do think this is a helpful course for getting a baseline of understanding about the Middle East and northern Africa throughout the last century. If I could over-simplify things, I would say that this course is a good example of why colonization is bad and why the West should stop trying to micromanage this area of the world. Many of the problems there stem from our involvement and efforts to "fix" or "help" that have backfired. I want to learn more because this course felt a bit like drinking from a fire hose.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid course charting a lot of immensely eventful history across the Middle East during the 20th and early 21st century. At times I'd have liked a little more depth in certain areas, but given the immense amount of material Gearon needed to get through in fairly little time, he succeeded in giving at the very least a good overview.

[Feng Ouyang]

"The Middle East in the 20th Century" by Eamonn Gearon is a course in the "Great Courses" series. It surveys the history of the Middle East and North Africa since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, with particular emphasis on developments after World War II. Gearon, a London-educated Arabist, presents the material from what can be described as an insider’s perspective on Middle Eastern politics and culture. His lectures appear aimed primarily at a Western—especially European—audience seeking a structured introduction to the region. Throughout the course, the focus remains largely on geopolitics rather than on economic, technological, or cultural developments.

The lectures proceed in roughly chronological order. They begin with the aftermath of the Ottoman Empire’s fall and the subsequent colonial involvement of France and Britain in the region. From there, the course traces the emergence of Arab nationalism and the founding of various independent states during and after World War II. This historical narrative provides a framework for understanding the political structures and national movements that shaped the modern Middle East.

In Western popular discourse, the Middle East is often viewed primarily through the narrow lens of Israel, oil, and terrorism. Gearon attempts to broaden this perspective. By following the historical trajectories of several major regional powers—such as Egypt, Iraq, Iran, and Saudi Arabia—the course conveys that the countries of the region are far from uniform. The lectures highlight the differences in political traditions, historical experiences, and religious dynamics among these states. In particular, the role of Islamism in political life varies significantly depending on time and location. This emphasis encourages listeners to develop a more nuanced understanding of the region while recognizing its long-standing civilizational heritage and its unique strategic position in global affairs.

Despite these strengths, the course is far from comprehensive. Several important issues receive limited attention or are omitted altogether. One notable gap is the treatment of terrorism. Although the course mentions major organizations such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS, it does not examine the broader landscape of militant groups active in countries such as Yemen, Syria, and Libya. Gearon rejects narratives that link terrorism to Islamic teaching, yet the lectures offer little explanation for why terrorism has been particularly active in this region.

Another omission concerns the development of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE is a notable example of a country whose national wealth has expanded beyond reliance on oil revenue. A deeper discussion of the UAE’s economic diversification and political trajectory would provide a useful contrast with the experiences of other Arab states.

Similarly, the course does not substantially address the issue of nuclear weapons development in Iran and Israel. The pursuit or possession of nuclear capabilities has significant implications for regional power balances and for international relationships, yet these dynamics receive minimal attention in the lectures.

A related question involves the economy. The region occupies a unique position as both a major source of oil and a strategic hub for international trade. Some observers, such as journalist Thomas Friedman, have argued that oil wealth can inhibit democratization by reducing governments’ reliance on taxation and public accountability. The course would benefit from exploring whether this "resource curse" theory helps explain aspects of political development across the region.

In discussing the post–World War II period, Gearon follows several thematic threads, including the rise of the Islamic Brotherhood, the influence of Cold War geopolitics, and the ongoing Israel–Palestine conflict. These themes frequently overlap in time, yet the lectures tend to address them separately. As a result, the course does not always explore how these threads interact at specific historical moments. Listeners may find it helpful to keep a careful track of the timeline and draw connections among these parallel developments on their own.

Gearon makes a visible effort to maintain a neutral tone and to avoid harsh criticism of any particular actors in the region. Nevertheless, the presentation remains sympathetic toward Arab governments and somewhat inclined to minimize their challenges. The course also adopts a notably hopeful outlook regarding the region’s political future. Gearon suggests the possibility of forms of "democracy with unique Arab features" emerging over time. Readers interested in exploring similar perspectives might consult "Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy, and the West" by Benazir Bhutto.

Overall, "The Middle East in the 20th Century" is best approached as a reference work shaped in part by the author’s personal perspective. While it offers a useful narrative overview and encourages a more nuanced view of the region, it should not be regarded as a complete introduction to the complex history and contemporary realities of the Middle East.

[Ben Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great lecture series on the history of the Middle East. I’ve read a pretty decent amount of middle eastern history and I feel like this covers everything. Great starting off point to get context for a lot of middle eastern history and if something really speaks to you you could use this book as a leaping off point.

Feels like a deep dive podcast series and not really book.

I had the impression that this would be a team of people putting together this lecture series but it feels like it was one college professor basically going through all his lectures in a semester. While it was good you could tell he clearly had some bias and more of background in Egypt than other places, would’ve liked a bit more balance and depth considering the scope the series claims to cover.

Highly recommend to anyone interested in Middle East, Israel/Palestine, geo-politics.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really well put together, although it focused mostly on wars, governments and revolutions, and little on cultures and societies, which probably says something about what we think is relevant about the Middle East In the 20th century. I'll forget most of the details I'm sure, but it's given me a good overview of things and fit together some random facts I already had floating around in my head. The lecturer does a great job of delivering the content without taking sides. He clearly knows his stuff.

[Ryan Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. I wish it had been a bit more systematic--it was broadly chronological--but I understand that that's difficult when you are dealing with some fifteen or so individual nations in the region. Because of the structure, some points were made multiple times while others were left a little too shallow. I would say that this series is for someone who has a broad, general understanding of the events of the twentieth century but wants to understand a little better some of the ongoing tensions and issues in the Middle East.

[SplatterGunk · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview, but I wish this had dug deeper into some things like Mossadegh's overthrow and Britain/America's involvement, a better overview of the Iranian Revolution, and more overall detail about Yemen and Oman.

Don't take that to mean this isn't well researched or well-written, because it is. This is good if you're looking to either learn for fun or to refresh your knowledge, but if you are trying to get deep into the modern history of the Middle East, just use this as a starting foundation because you will want to dive deeper into other more detailed sources.

[John Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an excellent course on Middle East history. It is very logical and indepth review of why the Middle East has the situation it has today. Many issues are the west and east powers fault plus a good part of Middle Eastern. The problems are complicated but there has really been amazing progress if you compare 1900 to 2000 Middle East. Britain France and USA made major arrogant mistakes but can also help correct issues by acknowledging our errors.

[Argun Akcakanat · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is missing 'we came, we saw, he died' and why he had to be killed. Is this an example of confirmation bias?

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good general overview.

[Emma Pontzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is long and informative. I like that it focuses on the middle east and not just on western involvement.

[Osama · Rating 3 out of 5]

جبد بشكل عام، ولكن لا يخلو من تحيز الرجل الأبيض وإطلاق الأحكام من وجهة نظر ذات محور أوروبي Eurocentric

[John Curtice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one

[Jurij Fedorov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great Courses were a great idea when they started to become popular on audio format. Yet they were always shallow and presented as lectures not deep overviews.
This overall makes them dull and childish compared to history or science books. They work when it's about some obscure topic there is no book about.

They are left behind when they tackle book topics as the pacing is slow and it's all about presenting something not give you understanding. You basically will recall dates and names.

This one also contains a lot of Muslim apologetics which to non-Muslim readers will sound jarring. When the author claims Islam and terrorism is not connected and there is no such thing as Islamic terrorists or Muslim terrorism you have to wonder how much he really understands cultural movements in the Muslim world. I get that he's just trying to make Muslims look kind and morally grand yet he never even makes a clear proposition. It's just a full on defense without much reasoning behind it as you often see in left-wing online chats. Stuff that may be based on some honorable ideas yet ends up soundings gullible.

There is an overview of most nations and big events. But mostly it will only create aha moments where you recognize some history. And past that there is nothing. Maybe if it was visual with photos it would work better.