I didn't take her course for credit, just listened to most lectures and watched the videos. Very interesting teacher with much to say about that region. I consider myself very lucky to have heard the lectures, especially about Iran and Iraq. One could spend a long time just reading more and following up on topics she touched on.
Amazing teacher. She teaches the history of the MiddleEast in a balanced way. All of the books she uses are balanced and she backs up her claims with hard evidence. The views she teaches in class are the accepted views of the majority of academia on the topics she selects. All in all one of the greatest teachers at UCSB.
Very biased. Teaches Middle East history from a revisionist playbook. Anti Israel, pro Arab apologist. Half of the class was spent listening to guest speakers whose lectures had nothing to do with what was on the midterm or final. Midterm and final were about literature and not history. We had to read 7 full novels, all boring in their own way.
This was the worst teacher I've had at UCSB. There was no analysis or challenging thoughts because she read from an outline like we were in third grade. Not to mention she is extremely biased as most of the class was about women's rights. Also you have to do most of the reading. I got a B+ doing half the reading and coming to 3/4 of the lecture.
By far the MOST BIASED professor I have ever had. She presents only one side of the argument in an attempt to brainwash the students into believing it. I think it is rediculous that we have a professor that is so unopen to the other side's point of view at our university. Her class is easy though...
The problem with Gallagher is that she has no interest in teaching--she wants to propagandize and brainwash. the good news is she's so hideously ineffective that she succeeds in convincing no one! What a disgrace to have such an important topic as the Middle East taught by a repulsive apologist like Gallagher.