This course continues the exploration of the history of Islamic societies and civilization, from the beginnings of the major pre-modern Islamic empires (Ottoman Turkey, Safavid Iran, Moghol India, Morocco) and Islam’s expansion into Africa and South-Asia until the colonization of most of the Islamic world by European powers, the struggles for independence and the creation of contemporary Muslim nation-states. Special attention will be given to socio-economic realities, ideological evolutions and significant cultural and artistic achievements. Students will read selections of important primary sources available in English translation, such as Dârâ Shikûh’s The Mingling of the Two Oceans, Kâtib Tchelebi’s Balance of Truth, Tavernier’s Collections of Travels through Turkey into Persia, Jabartî’s Chronicle, Khayr al-Dîn al-Tûnisî’s Sureth Path, and al-Afghânî’s Refutation of the Materialists.