The Iran War, 2023-today
Mondays, September 28 - November 16,
10am-12pm ET



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The HAMAS attacks of 7 October 2023 set off a chain of events that has led to an open war between Iran, Israel, the United States, and many other nations in the region. This course will examine the origins of this conflict as understood by the current leadership of Iran, Israel, and the United States. To show the perspective of Iranian leaders, the course will begin with a brief look at the Persian Empires specifically named by these elites, the development of Shi’i Islam, and the rise of radical visions of Shi’i and Sunni Islam in the 19th and 20th centuries. We will then focus on more recent events that are just as significant for the leaders of Iran: the struggles for a truly independent Iran after 1850, Iran in the Cold War, the origins and course of the Islamic Revolution, the Iran-Iraq War, and the perceived need for local militias like Hezbollah to protect vulnerable Shi’ah populations. The course will then look at the origins of the current conflict, located in a further radicalization of Iran in the crucial period of 2005-2009. After 1980, the course will examine the conflict from the perspective of the United States and Israel, providing vital context and a contrast with Iranian views. The course will end with a discussion about three potential futures for this war and what might be done to de-escalate the violence.

COURSE FORMAT
This is an interactive online seminar course that meets weekly over 8 weeks. Live online sessions will use the zoom platform. Weekly reading or other forms of materials may be assigned. Weekly sessions will be recorded and available for registered participants to access throughout the course.
There are no papers or grades. This course does not offer any credits or certificates. This course is intended for learning for the love of learning.

COURSE MATERIALS
This course will have all reading materials supplied by the instructor.
Registrants will receive access to the course website and the zoom links about two weeks before the course starts.

COURSE CANCELLATION POLICY
Registrants can cancel and receive a full refund up to September 11. After September 11, there will be no refunds issued.
Yale Alumni College courses are subject to schedule changes as well as cancellations. If Yale Alumni College must cancel any course prior to its start due to low enrollment, you will be notified of this by the cancellation date. Upon cancellation of a course, registrants may transfer their registration to another available course or have the registration fee fully refunded.

In the event of a disruption to the original course schedule, including but not limited to; Professor absence, hazardous weather conditions, or local travel restrictions, Yale Alumni College will do its best to reschedule the missed class for the week immediately following the original end date at the same course time and day.