N ATIONALISM AND P OLITICS IN THE M IDDLE E AST
G O 239 001
S K I D MO R E C O L L E G E
Professor Feryaz Ocakli
Email: focakli@skidmore.edu
Class Meeting:
MWF 11:15 am - 12:10 pm
Location:
LADD 206
Office Hours:
Monday 2 - 4 pm.
Wednesday, 2:30 - 4 pm
& by appointment
Office Hours Location:
LADD 315
C OURSE O VERVIEW
What are the causes of political instability that came to characterize the Middle East over the past
century? What is the role of the state in economic development, and how did nationalism evolve across
the region? This course is designed to introduce students to the key problems and basic questions of
politics in the Middle East. Often characterized as an undifferentiated whole, the Middle East displays
significant political, economic, social, and cultural diversity. We will examine the emergence of different
political regimes, the causes of uneven economic development patterns, varieties of conflict, and the
potential for the emergence of new democracies across the Middle East. We will pay special attention to
how the Arab Spring has come to challenge long-standing authoritarian incumbents and the resulting
instability across a variety of countries in the region.
C OURSE G OALS :
1) To familiarize students with the contemporary political puzzles and problems of the Middle East.
After taking this course, students should be able to identify and explain the causes of the main political
tensions in the Middle East.
2) To provide students with political, historical, and economic approaches to:
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The evolution of the contemporary Middle Eastern state system
The emergence of nations and nation states in the region
The evolution of international relations in the Middle East
The causes and consequences of wealth and poverty in the Middle East
The rise of Islamist movements
The extent and effectiveness of civil society in the Middle East
The recent political transformations in the Middle East following the Arab uprisings
C OURSE O BJECTIVES :
This course will cultivate the abilities of the students to:
 Question the common wisdom and simplifying narratives regarding the Middle East
 See and appreciate the interconnectedness between Middle Eastern societies, economies, and
states and the rest of the world
 Ask critical questions about current events as well as the enduring issues in Middle Eastern
politics
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Develop analytical writing skills
Read critically and interpret evidence
Make connections between different ideas
Reach conclusions based on evidence
Communicate ideas both orally and in writing
R EQUIREMENTS
The following are the main requirements for this course:
Assignment
Description
% of grade
Due date
Participation &
attendance
Attendance is mandatory, participation
in lecture is encouraged
10
--
Paper
5-7 pages in length
15
September 29
Greenberg Lecture
Attend the Greenberg Lecture
5
October 1
Midterm
In class
25
October 27
Op-Ed Assignment
Opinion piece on Middle East politics
10
November 24
Student Presentation
Team presentation on a country and
related issue area
10
TBD
Final Exam
Take-home
25
December 18,
6 pm.
*This syllabus provides an approximate schedule for our course. I reserve the right to change
assignments and due dates. Any such changes will be announced in class and noted on Blackboard.
C LASS P ARTICIPATION
Part of your course grade will be based on your participation in class. Participation is not only talking. It
is being prepared for class, doing all the assigned readings before the class meets, arriving on time,
careful listening and note-taking, and engaging meaningfully in class discussions and activities. In order
to participate, you must be here, so attendance is required. An attendance sheet will be circulated at
the beginning of every class meeting. Unexcused absences will impact your overall letter grade. Medical
and athletic excuses must be accompanied by a written note from your doctor, nurse, or coach.
Note on Civility and Comportment:
The Government Department emphasizes the importance of mutual respect in the classroom. The
classroom is a space where we will learn, analyze, discuss and critique social scientific findings as well as
our individual perspectives on a multitude of issues. Respectful behavior is central to the achievement of
this goal. See the attached "Policy on Civility and Comportment in the Classroom."
M ISSED E XAMS
OR
A SSIGNMENTS
Late papers will be penalized, with the exception of bona fide medical or other emergencies as validated
by appropriate documentation (e.g., a doctor’s or nurse’s note). All exams must be taken as they are
scheduled.
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A CADEMIC H ONESTY
Students are expected to comply with the honor code.1 Because this class involves writing, it is essential
that students develop good habits of citation and scholarship. Plagiarism – appropriating another
person’s ideas or words (spoken or written) without attributing those words or ideas to their true source
– and cheating will not be tolerated. If you have any questions about how or when to cite another's
work, please consult the instructor. Academic Integrity Handbook is also a good resource.2 Remember: It
is better to err on the side of overly generous citation.
W RITING S KILLS
In line with the requirements of a liberal education, the Government Department emphasizes the
importance of good writing skills. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with The Writing
Requirement in the Department of Government and the Checklist for Grading Writing Assignments in
Government. All papers will be graded according to the grammatical and composition standards
outlined in these documents.
Guidelines are available at: www.skidmore.edu/government/writing_guide/index.php
Students should familiarize themselves with the resources available at the Skidmore Writing Center. In
addition to the individualized assistance the center provides to students throughout the school year, it
also runs regular workshops aimed at improving writing skills.
A CCOMMODATION
If you are a student with a disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) and think
that you might need special assistance or a special accommodation in this class, please contact the
instructor and the Office of Student Academic Services at (518) 580-8150.
U SE
OF L APTOPS AN D T ABLETS IN C LASS
Laptop, tablet, and phone use in class is not allowed.
B LACKBOARD
AND
E MAIL
Students should check Blackboard regularly for announcements, links to assigned and recommended
texts, and links to websites and articles related to the course. Students should also check their Skidmore
email accounts regularly for emails from the instructor regarding the course.
A SSESSMENT
AND G RADING
Assessment and Grading in this course follows the general guidelines identified in the Skidmore College
Catalogue. Grades are assigned on the following basis:
A+, A
A-, B+, B
B-, C+, C
C-, D+, D
F
1
2
Distinguished work
Superior work
Satisfactory work
Passing, poor-quality work
Failure, no credit earned
www.skidmore.edu/student_handbook/honor-code.php
www.skidmore.edu/advising/documents/AcademicIntegrityHandbook_Web.pdf
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F OLLOWING
THE W ORLD N EWS
Studying Middle East Politics is far more rewarding and effective when accompanied by daily review and
analysis of the international news. Students are expected to follow current world events by regularly
reading major newspapers, journals, and other news sources, such as the New York Times, Washington
Post, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, The Economist, Foreign Policy, and Foreign Affairs.
T EXTS
The following books should be purchased:
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Cleveland, William. 2009. A History of the Modern Middle East. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Kinzer, Stephen. 2003. All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East
Terror. Wiley.
Other assigned readings will be available through Blackboard. Students are encouraged to obtain
recommended readings from the library and by using online search engines such as scholar.google.com.
A W ORD
OF A DVICE
Succeeding in this course is in part a function of your own effort. Here are some tips:
1)
Do the reading. The lectures are not a substitute for the readings. Exams and papers will
demand familiarity with material not covered in lecture but found in the readings.
2)
Come to class. Likewise, lectures may include material not in the readings and will help you to
build up critical thinking skills.
3)
Read critically: Focus on the big picture to glean the main arguments in the texts. Think about
the logics of the arguments and draw linkages and contrasts among the texts.
4)
Ask questions. Do not hesitate to ask questions or raise issues in class. Your comments will
enrich the course.
5)
Come to office hours. I am here to help and also invite you to share your responses and
reactions to the material. You can make appointments by sending me an email.
6)
Follow relevant issues outside of class. Reading about current (or not so current) events in
important journals and newspapers will help you to assess and apply the concepts you encounter in the
course.
S CHEDULE
OF
R EADINGS
AND
L ECTURES
Week 1: Understanding the Modern Middle East
Wednesday, September 3 – Introduction
 Review the syllabus thoroughly, and save it for future reference.
Friday, September 5 – The Middle East Today
 Gause III, F. Gregory. 2011. "Why Middle East Studies Missed the Arab Spring: The Myth of
Authoritarian Stability," Foreign Affairs. 90:81-90.
 Koplow, Michael J. 2013. "First They Came for the Islamists: Egypt's Tunisian Future," Foreign
Affairs
 Getmansky, Anna and Thomas Zeitzoff. 2014. "Rockets and Bombs Make Israelis and
Palestinians Less Willing to Compromise," The Washington Post, July 16.
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o
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/07/16/rockets-andbombs-make-israelis-and-palestinians-less-willing-to-compromise
 Lynch, Mark. 2014. "Would Arming Syria’s Rebels Have Stopped the Islamic State?" The
Washington Post, August 11.
o http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/08/11/would-armingsyrias-rebels-have-stopped-the-islamic-state
Week 2: The Making of the Modern Middle East
Monday, September 8 – Origins of the Middle East: The Ottoman Empire
 Cleveland, William. 2009. A History of the Modern Middle East. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Chapters 5 and 8.
Recommended
 Cleveland, William. 2009. A History of the Modern Middle East. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Chapter 4.
Wednesday, September 10 – Ottoman Modernization and its Impact on the Middle East
***Guest Lecturer - Professor Avi Rubin (Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel)
 Cleveland, William. 2009. A History of the Modern Middle East. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Chapter 9.
Friday, September 12 – Promises and Betrayals (Documentary Screening)
 Cleveland, William. 2009. A History of the Modern Middle East. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Chapter 12.
Week 3: The Rise of Contending Nationalisms
Monday, September 15 – Colonial Era: Mandates, Protectorates, and Colonies
 Owen, Roger. 2004. State, Power and Politics in the Making of Modern Middle East. London:
Routledge. Chapter 1.
 Cleveland, William. 2009. A History of the Modern Middle East. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Chapter 11.
Wednesday, September 17 – Nationalism: Concepts and Cases
 Anderson, Benedict. 1991. Imagined Communities. Verso. Chapters 1 and 2.
Friday, Sep 19 - The Rise and Fall of Arab Nationalism
 Owen, Roger. 2004. State, Power and Politics in the Making of Modern Middle East. London:
Routledge. Chapter 4.
 Cleveland, William. 2009. A History of the Modern Middle East. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Chapter 15 and Chapter 16's conclusion - "The Nasser Era in Perspective."
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Week 4: The Revolutionary Path to Theocracy: Iran
Monday, September 22 – Pre-Revolutionary Iran
 Kinzer, Stephen. 2003. All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East
Terror. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Wednesday, September 24 - The Iranian Political System
 Kinzer, Stephen. 2003. All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East
Terror. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. (Continued)
Friday, September 26 – Ayatollah Khomeini (Documentary Screening)
 Keddie, Nikki R. 2003. Modern Iran: Roots and Results of Revolution, Yale University Press,
Epilogue.
Week 5: The Secular Path to Contested Democracy: Turkey
Monday, September 29 – State-Society Relations in Turkey: Structural Conditions
***Paper 1 Due
 Penner-Angrist, Michele. 2004. “Party Systems and Regime Formation in the Modern Middle
East: Explaining Turkish Exceptionalism.” Comparative Politics. 229-249.
 Mardin, Serif. 1973. "Center-Periphery Relations: A Key to Turkish Politics?" Daedalus. 169-190
Wednesday, October 1 – Multi-Party Regime Under Military Tutelage
***The Greenberg Middle East Scholar-in-Residence Lecture by Professor Avi Rubin. Students are
required to attend.
 Zurcher, Eric J. 2003. Turkey: A Modern History. London: I.B. Tauris. pp. 221-278.
Friday, October 3 – Turkey and the EU
 Paul, Amanda. 2012. "Turkey's EU Journey: What's Next?" Insight Turkey. 14: 1-9
 Davutoglu, Ahmet. 2010. "Turkey's Zero Problems Foreign Policy." Foreign Policy
 Zalewski, Piotr. 2013. "How Turkey Went from Zero Problems to Zero Friends." Foreign Policy
Week 6: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Monday, October 6 – The Formative Years of the Conflict
 Aly, Feldman, and Shikaki. 2013. Arabs and Israelis: Conflict and Peacemaking in the Middle East,
New York: Pelgrave Macmillan. p. 7-39.
Wednesday, October 8 –The Arab-Israeli Peace Process
 Vromen, Galina. 2010. "Israel through Other Eyes." The Wilson Quarterly. 42-47.
 Reich, Walter. 2010. "The Despair of Zion." The Wilson Quarterly. 48-55
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 Judt, Tony. October23, 2003. “Israel: The Alternative,” The New York Review of Books, Vol. 50,
No. 16.
 Omer Bartov, Amos Elon, Abraham Foxman, Michael Walzer, Tony Judt. December 4, 2003. “An
Alternative Future: An Exchange,” The New York Review of Books, Vol. 50, No. 19.
Friday, October 10 – The Experience of Security Officials and Ordinary People
 Shavit, Ari. 2013. My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel, New York: Penguin, pp.
TBA
 Excerpts from "The Gatekeepers" and "Five Broken Cameras"
Week 7: Political Economy of Development in the Middle East
Monday, October 13 – Uneven Development across the Region
 UN Development Program. Arab Human Development Report 2002: Creating Opportunities for
Future Generations. New York: Regional Bureau for Arab States, UNDP, 2002, Overview (pp. 114).
 Owen, Roger. “The Uses and Abuses of Comparison: Why Set Egypt Against South Korea?” In AlAhram Weekly Online no. 566 (27 Dec. 2001 - 2 Jan. 2002). Available at
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2001/566/op11.htm.
Recommended
 Waldner, David. 1999. State Building and Late Development. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Chapter 2.
 Chaudhry. K.A. 1993. “The Myths of the Market and the Common History of Late Developers.”
Politics and Society. 21: 245-274.
Wednesday, October 15 – Is Oil a Curse?
 Ross, Michael. 2001. “Does Oil Hinder Democracy?” World Politics. 53: 325-361.
Recommended
 Herb, Michael. 2005. “No Representation without Taxation? Rents, Development and
Democracy.” Comparative Politics. 37: 297-316.
 Kuran, Timur. 2004. “Why the Middle East is Economically Underdeveloped: Historical
Mechanisms of Institutional Stagnation,” Journal of Economic Perspectives. 18: 71-90.
 Smith, Benjamin. 2004. “Oil Wealth and Regime Survival in the Developing World," American
Journal of Political Science. 48: 232-246.
Friday, October 17 – Legal Institution-Building in the Middle East
***Student Presentation - Reading assignment TBD
 Brown, Nathan. 1995. "Retrospective: Law and Imperialism: Egypt in Comparative Perspective,"
Law and Society Review, 29, 1 (1995): 103-126.
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Week 8: Governance and Regime Types
Monday, October 20 – Persistent Authoritarianism in the Middle East
 Wedeen, Lisa. 1998. "Acting 'As If': Symbolic Politics and Social Control in Syria." Comparative
Studies in Society and History. 40:503-523
 Bellin, Eva. 2004. “The Robustness of Authoritarianism in the Middle East: A Comparative
Perspective.” Comparative Politics. 36: 139-157.
Recommended:
 Lust-Okar, Ellen. 2002. Structuring Conflict in the Arab World: Incumbents, Opponents and
Institutions. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press. Introduction and Chapter 2.
Wednesday, October 22 - Presidents and Kings: Monarchical Regimes
***Student Presentation - Reading assignment TBD
 Lawrence, Adria. "Kings in a Democratic Age: Collective Protest and the Institutional Promise of
Monarchy" Working Paper.
Recommended:
 Herb, Michael. 2004. “Princes and Parliaments in the Arab World.” The Middle East Journal. 58:
367-384.
 Lucas, Russell. 2004. “Monarchical Authoritarianism: Survival and Political Liberalization in a
Middle Eastern Regime Type.” International Journal of Middle East Studies.36: 103-119.
Friday, October 24 - Study Day
 No class.
Week 9: Iraq in Fragments
***Monday, October 27 – MIDTERM
Wednesday, October 29 – Conflict in Iraq
 Sick, Gary. 1989. “Trial by Error: Reflections on the Iran-Iraq War.” Middle East Journal. 43: 230245.
 Aarts, Paul. 1992. “Democracy, Oil and the Gulf War.” Third World Quarterly. 13: 525-538.
Recommended:
 Wimmer, Andreas. 2003. “Democracy and Ethno-religious conflict in Iraq.” Survival. 45:111-134.
Friday, October 31 – Documentary Screening: Iraq in Fragments (2006) (Part I & II)
 Dodge, Toby. 2010. “State Collapse and the Rise of Identity Politics in Iraq.” In Montserrat
Guibernau and John Rex, eds. The Ethnicity Reader. Malden, MA: Polity. pp. 110-124.
Week 10: Ethnic Conflict and the Kurdish Question
Monday, November 3 – Discussion: Future of Iraq
 POMEPS Briefing: Iraq Between Maliki and the Islamic State (2014)
o Read "The Middle East Quasi-State System" by Ariel Ahram, "Getting Rid of Maliki Won't
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Solve Iraq's Crisis" by Fanar Haddad, "How Arab Backers of the Syrian Rebels See Iraq?"
by Marc Lynch, "Maliki has Only Himself to Blame for Iraq's Crisis" by Zaid Al-Ali, "Was
Obama Wrong to Withdraw Troops from Iraq?" by Jason Brownlee, "The Calculated
Caliphate" by Thomas Hegghammer, and "The Logic of Violence in the Islamic State's
War" by Stathis Kalyvas.
Wednesday, November 5 - Ethnic Conflict and the Kurdish Question
 Gunter, Michael M. 2004. “The Kurdish Question in Perspective.” World Affairs. 166: 197-205.
 Romano, David. 2006. The Kurdish Nationalist Movement. New York: Cambridge University
Press. Chapter 3.
Friday, November 7 – Ethnic Conflict and the Kurdish Question (Continued)
***Student Presentation - Reading assignment TBD
 James, Boris. 2011. Review: "Syria’s Kurds: History, Politics, and Society." Syrian Studies
Association Newsletter
 Yetkin, Murat. 2013. "Al-Qaeda-PKK War on Turkey-Syria Border" Al-Monitor, August 14.
 Chomani, Kamal. 2013. "Kurdish National Congress Seeks Unity amid Divisions," Al-Monitor,
August 8.
 Tezcur, Gunes. 2013. "Prospects for Resolution of the Kurdish Question: A Realist Perspective,"
Insight Turkey Vol. 15, Spring Issue, pp. 69-84.
Week 11: Civil Society in the Middle East
Monday, November 10 – Civic Activism in the Middle East
 Bayat, Asef. 2002. “Activism and Social Development in the Middle East.” International Journal
of Middle Eastern Studies. 34: 1-28.
 Cavatora, Francesco. 2008. “Civil Society, Democracy Promotion and Islamism on the Southern
Shores of the Mediterranean,” Mediterranean Politics. 13: 109-119.
Recommended:
 Bayat, Asef. 1997. “Un-civil society: the politics of the 'informal people'.' Third World Quarterly.
18: 53-72.
 Ocakli, Feryaz. 2014. "Political Ambition, Clientelism, and Civil Society: Supply-Side Politics in
Turkey." Working Paper
Wednesday, November 12 – The Role of Non-State Actors in Social Service Provision
***Student Presentation - Reading assignment TBD
 Blanford, Nicholas. 2003. "Lebanon's 'A-Team of Terrorists' Valued for Social Services." Christian
Science Monitor
 Cammett, Melani and Issar, Sukriti. 2010. " Bricks and Mortar Clientelism: Sectarianism and the
Logics of Welfare Allocation in Lebanon." World Politics. 62: 381-421.
Friday, November 14 – Islamic Civil Society Meets the Market: The Gulen Movement
 Yavuz, Hakan. 1999. “Towards an Islamic Liberalism?: The Nurcu Movement and Fethullah
Gulen.” The Middle East Journal. 53: 584-605.
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 Agai, Bekim. 2003. “Fethullah Gulen and his Movement’s Islamic Ethic of Education.” Middle
East Critique. 11: 27-47.
Week 12: Political Islam in the Middle East
Monday, November 17 – Political Islam: Overview
 Sadowski, Yahya. 2006. “Political Islam: Asking the Wrong Questions?” Annual Review of Political
Science. 9:215-240.
 Ayoob, Mohammed. 2004. “Political Islam: Image and Reality,” World Policy Journal 21:1-14.
Recommended:
 Zubaida, Sami. 2000. “Trajectories of Political Islam: Egypt, Iran and Turkey,” Political Quarterly.
71:60-78
 Yavuz, Hakan. 1997. “Political Islam and the Welfare (Refah) Party in Turkey,” Comparative
Politics, Vol. 30, No. 1.
Wednesday, November 19 – How Do Islamists Mobilize Supporters?
 Ocakli, Feryaz. 2014. " Notable Networks: Elite Recruitment, Organizational Cohesiveness, and
Islamist Electoral Success in Turkey." Working Paper.
Friday, November 21 - Focus: The Muslim Brotherhood
 Brown, Nathan J. 2012. When Victory Is Not an Option: Islamist Movements in Arab Politics.
Cornell University Press. Chapter 4.
 El-Ghobashy, Mona. 2005. “The Metamorphosis of the Egyptian Muslim Brothers,” International
Journal of Middle East Studies, Vol. 37, No. 3, pp. 373-395.
Week 13: Arab Uprisings
Monday, November 24 – Revolutions in the Middle East
***Op-Ed Assignment Due
 Kurzman, Charles. December 1998. "Not Ready for Democracy? Theoretical and Historical
Objections to the Concept of Prerequisites" Sociological Analysis. Available at:
http://www.unc.edu/~kurzman/cv/Kurzman_Not_Ready_for_Democracy.pdf
 Bellin, Eva. 2012. “Reconsidering the Robustness of Authoritarianism in the Middle East,”
Comparative Politics Vol. 44, No. 2, pp. 127-149.
 Anderson, Lisa. 2011. "Demystifying the Arab Spring." Foreign Affairs
Recommended:
 Hoffman, Michael and Jamal, Amaney. 2012. "The Youth and the Arab Spring: Cohort
Differences and Similarities." Middle East Law and Governance. 4:168-188
Wednesday, November 26 - Thanksgiving Holiday
 No class.
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Friday, November 28 – Thanksgiving Holiday
 No class.
Week 14: Revolutions and Counter-Revolutions in the Middle East
Monday, December 1 – Counterrevolutions in the Middle East
 Lynch, Marc. 2012. The Arab Uprisings: The Unfinished Revolutions in the New Middle East. New
York: Public Affairs. Chapter 6
 F. Gregory Gause III. 2014. "Beyond Sectarianism: The New Middle East Cold War," Brookings
Doha Center Analysis Paper
Wednesday, December 3 – Case Studies: Tunisia and Egypt
***Student Presentation (2 groups) - Reading assignment TBD
Friday, December 5 – Case Studies: Libya and Syria
***Student Presentation (2 groups) - Reading assignment TBD
Week 15: Beyond the Arab Spring
Monday, December 8 – Future Challenges: Nuclear Iran
***Student Presentation - Reading assignment TBD
Wednesday, December 10 – Last Day of Class, Wrap-Up
***Student Presentation - Reading assignment TBD
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Government Department
Policy on Civility and Comportment in the Classroom
The classroom experience is the heart of liberal education, and as such is the most important aspect of
your Skidmore College education. Presumably, if you did not agree you would not be attending
Skidmore. The faculty of the Government Department takes this understanding as the basis of our
educational efforts. It is in an attempt to honor the centrality of the classroom experience that we offer
this department policy on civility and comportment.
As is stated in the Student Handbook, your presence at Skidmore College is contingent upon your
acceptance of, and full adherence to, the Skidmore College Honor Code. This honor code is distinct from
the oath you take when writing a paper or taking an exam – it is in fact much more all-encompassing,
and much more demanding.
The Code includes the following statement: “I hereby accept membership in the Skidmore College
community and, with full realization of the responsibilities inherent in membership, do agree to adhere
to honesty and integrity in all relationships, to be considerate of the rights of others, and to abide by the
College regulations.” Elsewhere, the Code also calls all Skidmore students to “conform to high standards
of fair play, integrity, and honor.”
What does it mean to do act honestly, with integrity, and according to high standards of fair play,
particularly in the classroom? In our view, it includes, minimally, the following.
1. No student shall lessen the learning experience of others in the classroom by arriving late to class.
2. No student shall lessen the learning experience of others in the classroom by leaving the classroom
while class is in session, except for true medical emergencies.
3. Cell phones must be turned off during class.
4. No student shall disrupt the learning experience of others in the classroom by talking to a neighbor,
writing notes to other students, reviewing one’s mail, reading the newspaper, completing homework for
other classes, or playing with the laptop computer, while class is in session.
5. No student shall disrespect other Skidmore students, professors or the housekeeping staff by putting
feet on the desks or other furniture in the classroom, or by leaving trash, food, or recyclables in the
room at the end of the class session.
While we will hold all students to these minimal expectations, we also have some suggestions for those
who seek to go beyond the bare minimum of civil classroom comportment to become the type of
mature, responsible, active learners who are an asset to any classroom and society at large. These
include the following.
6. Every student should take copious and meaningful notes both on assigned readings and during
classroom sessions. Note taking is an important skill—if you do not already possess it, you should
acquire it.
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7. Every student should take some time to review the notes that he or she has taken on the day’s
assigned reading before each class meeting. You will be amazed how much more invested and engaged
in the class you will feel if you go into the classroom well-prepared.
8. Disruptions in class can be a significant impediment to learning, and no member of the Skidmore
community—including faculty and students—should tolerate them. Thus every student should take
responsibility for holding his or her peers and classmates to both high academic standards and high
standards of civility. If people around you are chatting, passing notes or otherwise detracting from the
overall quality of YOUR classroom experience, don’t let them get away with it.
9. Individual faculty members in the Government Department will determine the level of sanctions for
disruptive behavior.
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