Cities are important spaces for coexistence and conflicts and, often, become strategic in situations of war or territorial dispute. In this course, we will look at cities in the Caucasus, Asia Minor and the Balkans that have been disputed by different national groups or different states for centuries or just a few decades. Disputes can involve armed conflicts, architectural interventions, historical narratives and/or the mobilization of memory. Sarajevo, Shushi, Brčko, Vukovar, Ani: in common, they are cities on the fringes of the Middle East where identities, languages, religions, symbols and cultural heritage are in question.