This study guide in PDF format provides a sweeping panorama of one of the most important chapters of modern history, providing insight into the Gulf and Afghanistan’s complex past and troubled present. By learning to analyse primary and secondary sources, approach scholarly material effectively, and assess cause-and-effect relationships, students will be well-equipped to navigate complex historical narratives and develop their own informed perspectives. The guide features: A range of scholarly opinion from Middle East experts and historians An introduction to historiography and an in-depth guide to answering source questions A bank of exam questions and model answers, helping students to score a grade-9 in the exam Optimised for the AQA specification, material covered includes: A background to tension in the Gulf and Afghanistan, including the Sunni-Shia schism, oil politics, and the legacy of Western colonialism The Iranian Revolution The Iran-Iraq war The Israel-Palestine conflict The Gulf War Al-Qaeda, 9/11 and the Taliban Bush’s war on terror and the invasion of Afghanistan Saddam Hussein’s regime, WMDs, and the war in Iraq The transfer of power in Iraq

Optimised for the 8702 AQA English Literature specification’s Worlds and Lives poetry cluster (for first teaching from 2023), this guide takes a high-level approach to poetry analysis: as well as conducting an in-depth analysis of the thematic and stylistic features of each poem, we take a look at a range of critical voices, including Edward Said, Michel Foucault, and Terry Eagleton, taking students beyond hermetically-closed analysis to a broader appreciation of literary culture. We also take a close look at how students can contextualise the large proportion of contemporary poems in the collection, outlining key trends such as postmodernism, postcolonialism, and confessional poetry, empowering students to more confidently draw comparisons between them. This guide features: High-level thematic and stylistic analysis of each poem Thorough contextual overview of each poem Model grade-9 comparative poetry analysis Sample exam questions Essay-writing support and tips on how to master the assessment objectives This guide does not contain reprints of the anthology’s poems.