Contextualization

Conflicts in the Middle East are a vast and complex network of disputes that have political, cultural, religious, and territorial origins. Considered one of the most intense and persistent conflict zones in the world, these are often cited as one of the main challenges of the 21st century.

The clashes in the region have a long history that spans thousands of years. The region is considered the cradle of great civilizations and religions, making the territory very valuable in cultural and symbolic terms, as well as rich in natural resources, mainly oil and natural gas.

The main conflicts to be addressed in this work include the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Syrian Civil War, the Iraq War, and the Afghanistan War. All of these situations involve a great deal of political and geopolitical complexity and raise profound questions about human rights, the struggle for autonomy, and the definition of identity and nation.

Furthermore, observing these conflicts from a historical perspective allows us to understand more about the current world, as the dynamics of the Middle East have strong global impacts. Whether for its economic importance as the main oil producer or for its cultural and religious influence, the Middle East is a region that demands our attention and understanding.

For further research and debate, I suggest the following reliable and content-rich resources:

1. Book: "The History of the Middle East: From the Emergence of Christianity to the Present Day". Author: Bernard Lewis. Publisher: Best Seller. ISBN-13: 978-8576840866.

2. Article: "Middle East: a region of conflicts". Authors: Angiolina Capua, Ricardo Angelim. Journal Geography Teaching & Research, v.27, n.2, p.106-119, May/Aug. 2013. Available at: https://periodicos.ufsm.br/geografia/article/view/7791

3. Documentary: "Middle East: The Origin of Conflicts". Discovery Channel. Available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gTeM3o9NLg

4. Interactive Atlas: "Conflicts in the Middle East". Online platform with demographic, geographic, and historical data about the region. Available at: https://conflitosnomundo.com.br/conflitos-no-oriente-medio/

Practical Activity: Narrative Collage - Conflicts in the Middle East

Project Objective The objective of this project is to allow students to analyze, synthesize, and visually and textually represent the conflicts in the Middle East, focusing on their historical, cultural, and political complexity.

Detailed Project Description Each group of students (composed of 3 to 5 members) will choose one of the conflicts indicated in the contextualization of this activity: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Syrian Civil War, the Iraq War, or the Afghanistan War.

They should conduct extensive research (which can be based, but not limited, on the materials suggested in the contextualization of this project) regarding the chosen conflict, in order to understand more deeply the causes, main events, consequences, and future perspectives.

From there, the groups should create a Narrative Collage, that is, a panel that includes photos, maps, timelines, quotes from articles or books, drawings, graphics, among others, in order to tell the story of the conflict they chose to study.

Materials Needed

1. Cardboard or cork panel
2. Printed images, texts, graphics, etc.
3. Colored pens, highlighters, pencils, eraser
4. Scissors, glue, pins for cork panel

Step by Step

1. Divide into groups of 3 to 5 people and choose the conflict you want to study.
2. Conduct in-depth research on the chosen conflict.
3. Discuss as a group and outline the narrative you want to tell about the conflict.
4. Gather materials (printed or digital, if you choose to make the collage in a virtual format) that help tell this story, including images, text, maps, graphics, timelines, etc.
5. Organize and attach these materials to the panel, so that the story of the conflict is told logically and visually.
6. Present the collage to the class, explaining each element and its relevance to the overall narrative of the conflict.

Project Deliverables and Integration with the Written Document The completed narrative collage will be one of the deliverables of this project. In addition to it, each group must produce a report on the work, to be submitted in digital format, with the following sections:

1. Introduction: Brief description of the chosen conflict, its relevance, and justification for the group's choice.

2. Development: Detailed description of the chosen conflict, presenting the research done by the group. Here, students should discuss the causes, main events, consequences, and future perspectives of the chosen conflict. They should also include a detailed description of the narrative collage, explaining each included element and its relevance to the overall narrative of the conflict.

3. Conclusion: Reflection on what they learned during the project, including about the conflict itself, but also about research skills, collaboration, and synthesis of complex information.

4. Bibliography: List of sources used in the research and creation of the narrative collage.

The report should be written in formal language, following ABNT standards. It should be between 10 and 15 pages.

The report and the narrative collage, combined, allow students to synthesize a large amount of complex information in a visually interesting and accessible way, enabling the development of research, analysis, and information presentation skills, as well as deepening their understanding of conflicts in the Middle East.