PLSC 394: INTRODUCTION TO MIDDLE EAST POLITICS, SUMMER 2012B
Instructor: Ellen Lust
Contact:
eCollege email (see course toolbar) Skype by appointment (ellen.okar)
COURSE OVERVIEW AND GOALS
This course offers students an overview of contemporary
politics in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The
course is organized into five sessions, with one week for
each session:
Course Objectives
Give students a more nuanced and complete
understanding of the politics, societies and
economies of the MENA.
Session I
Provides an overview of the region,
focusing on its history and state
formation.
Session II
Examines regional and international
relations, socio-economic conditions and
economic reform.
Session III
Explores the range of states and regime
types in the region, focusing on the great diversity across the region and the questions
of why the Arab world once seemed so resistant to democracy, and what might be next.
Session IV
Delves into political engagement, focusing on civil society organizations, public opinion
and activism.
Session V
Concludes with a consideration of the region’s future, challenges of political transitions
and a critical reflection of scholarship on it, given the Arab uprisings that began in 2011.
Foster students’ analytical skills, helping them
to apply theoretical frameworks to problems
in the Middle East.
Supply students with the theoretical and
empirical evidence necessary to evaluate and
make critical, analytical arguments about the
Middle East in comparative perspective.
Each session will have four to five parts. Please note that this is an accelerated, intensive course. The
workload for each week far exceeds that which you would be assigned in a fall or spring course because
we will be completing an entire semester’s worth of work in five weeks!
REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS
All readings listed in the syllabus are required. The one required text for the course is available through
on-line booksellers such as Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.
Ellen Lust (Ed.), The Middle East 12th edition (CQ Press, 2010)
Introduction to Middle East Politics, Summer 2012B, P a g e | 2
In the syllabus, readings from this text will be identified by the chapter number, author, and title.
Articles not found in your textbook can be downloaded from the "Doc Sharing" area of the course
website (look on the upper right toolbar of the course).
You are also required to purchase a good quality headset with built-in microphone. You will use the
headset each week to participate in the Live sessions. These need not be expensive. See, for example
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-KX-TCA60-Hands-Free-Headset-Headband/dp/B00007M1TZ. The
headsets greatly improve the quality of sound for all in the class – your audio will be better, and it will
help us avoid echoes and sound distortions.
Please purchase and test out your headset in the Live session (Watchitoo) environment prior to the first
session of the course! The Teaching Assistant will be on hand several times prior to that session to help
you test your connection. Look for Live session drop-in times posted in course announcements.
HOW THE COURSE IS STRUCTURED
Sessions: The course is divided into weekly “Sessions.” Sessions are listed in the left-hand menu of the
course web page, and each Thursday afternoon you will begin a new session. Sessions include a “Plan of
Work” that is comprised of three to five parts, sub-topics that have their own readings, assignments, etc.
Each session also contains information about all readings and assignments to be completed in that
week, as well as links to the online tools you will use to participate in discussions and submit
assignments. If relevant, sessions include “Criteria for Excellence,” a rubric by which particular weekly
assignments will be assessed. Assignment rubrics are also located in the “Criteria for Excellence” section
of the course, located directly below the session titles in the left-hand menu.
Readings and Viewings: Each Session component (part) includes assigned readings, web links, and
sometimes videos. Readings that are not in your textbook are provided in a downloadable format in the
“Doc Sharing” area of the course and are also linked within the session materials. Web-based readings
are available in the “Webliography” area of the course and are also linked within the session materials.
Videos are embedded in the session materials.
Tip: The list of links in the Webliography is quite long. To locate an item quickly, click on the “Category”
option. This will sort links according to the session in which they are assigned.
Written Discussions: Each week, in addition to readings, viewings, and written assignments, you will be
expected to participate in an online discussion that helps you explore and synthesize across all
components of the session. A link to the online discussion is provided in each week’s session materials.
The weekly discussions are a place for students to voice ideas, process readings, and grapple with topicrelated issues. You will be provided with writing prompts that are designed to guide your discussion.
The goal is to have a substantive dialogue with your peers about session concepts, questions, and
concerns.
Introduction to Middle East Politics, Summer 2012B, P a g e | 3
In response to a prompting question, on or before 5:00 p.m. EST every Monday, you are required to post
a 1-2 paragraph “starter” message in the weekly discussion to share your thoughts with your peers. You
should have completed the majority of the week’s readings before posting this message, allowing you to
incorporate lessons learned from the readings into your posts.
Between 5:00 p.m. EST on Monday and 5:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday you will read and respond to the
starter messages. Each week you are expected to post at least two response messages. This discussion
is an important part of the course, and your posts should reflect thoughtful reflection on the readings,
previous lessons, and other students’ postings. On most weeks (and often for more than one section)
you are required to write short critiques of the readings. These are to be uploaded into the class server
by 5:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday. Written discussion will also inform the
work we do during a weekly live session that takes place each Thursday.
Live Sessions: “Watchitoo Live” integrates live video, audio, online
whiteboard, and chat into one online tool. Each Thursday morning we will
use Watchitoo Live to meet “live” from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. EST, bringing
together all that we have learned during the week.
These sessions will incorporate but also extend beyond discussion of the
readings, including interviews with other scholars, practitioners and
activists, on-line group work and other activities. Upcoming guests will be
introduced using the message board, and when such guests will be present, you will be required to submit
three questions that you would like addressed by Wednesday, 11:00 a.m. EST. Similarly, look for
announcements of other live session work, so you can prepare accordingly. These sessions are an integral
part of the course, and you are required to come well-prepared and participate actively.
Musings: A special ‘musing’ section is available to give you a chance to reflect and discuss additional
readings you have come across independently, current events and other items of interest to the class that
don’t fit in the week’s discussion. Take advantage of this opportunity to engage with your colleagues on
topics that interest you!
AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON TIME AND INVOLVMENT IN AN ON-LINE COURSE
It may be tempting to think that an on-line course will be less time-consuming than a regular in-class
course. After all, you only have to ‘show up’ once a week, right?
Please don’t make that mistake. In-class and on-line courses require the same amount of time, except
that in an on-line course much of your work will be done independently – writing and reading posts,
viewing materials, etc. Remember that an in-class summer course requires 6 ½ hours of classroom
contact and approximately twice that much in readings and assignments (approximately 13 hours) per
Introduction to Middle East Politics, Summer 2012B, P a g e | 4
week. The same for an on-line learning experience: you should allot yourself approximately 20 hours a
week to participate in the class.
Importantly, this will be active learning, so it may “feel” like you are spending even more time than
when you take a traditional classroom course. (It is easier to fall asleep in class than it is when you’re
writing on-line.) However, precisely because you will be actively involved, you have the opportunity to
learn an incredible amount in a relatively short time.
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Read, do
assignments,
watch videos
Read, do
assignments,
watch videos
Read, do
assignments,
watch videos
Read, do
assignments,
watch videos
Read and
respond to
classmates’
discussion
posts, 5:00
EST Deadline
Reading
critiques, 5:00
EST Deadline
11:00-2:00
Live session
5:00 EST
Deadline for
posting starter
discussion
message
Review plan of
work for the
next session
In short, be prepared, and don’t be surprised: this is an intense, time-consuming experience. We will do
our best to make it also an extremely rewarding one. Set aside several regular blocks of time each week
to work on the class. Arrange your schedule according to the regular weekly deadlines outlined in the
chart above.
COMMUNICATION WITH THE PROFESSOR
Professor Participation in Weekly Session Discussions: The weekly discussions are intended to be a
conversation among students, not a back and forth between professor and students. I thus will not
respond to each message, nor even enter the discussion on a daily basis. However, I will follow the
conversation closely, posting one to two messages with comments and questions for the whole group to
consider. The discussions will also inform my plans for the weekly live session.
Discussion Area for General Questions: In addition to topic-specific discussions that are part of in each
session’s work, there is a discussion included in the website entitled “General Questions.” Post
questions about the course or requests for clarifications of material in the readings in this public area,
because if you have a question it is likely that others are wondering about it, too. This will make it
possible for the whole class to benefit from your query.
Announcements: From time to time, on an as-needed basis, I will post announcements for the class on
the course homepage. If you have a course email listed in your profile settings, these announcements
will also be forwarded automatically to your email. The forwarded message does not accept replies, so
Introduction to Middle East Politics, Summer 2012B, P a g e | 5
if you have a follow-up question about an announcement, please post it in the “General Questions”
discussion.
Office Hours: Flexibility of location is one of the benefits of online learning. Students are accessing this
class from a wide range of time zones, and even I will be teaching the course from Tunisia! It's best to
set up one-on-one meetings by appointment so that we can schedule a time that works for both of us. If
you wish to meet with me one-on-one, use the course email so we can set up a time to meet.
GETTING HELP
The best place to go for help depends on the specifics of your concern or question. As noted above,
please post course-related questions and concerns to the "General Questions" discussion. It's also a
good idea to check this discussion regularly to stay in the loop on questions and clarifications.
If you have technical questions or concerns, please contact Tech Support. From within the course, email
or call Tech Support by clicking on the menu item located in the top menu. If you are having problems
accessing the course, call the 24x7 support line at 877-925-3111.
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING
Further details on assignments will be described in the weekly session materials. Briefly, there are four
components to final grades:
Class Participation: You are expected to respond on all threaded discussions and also to come to all Live
session online classes. You should do so having completed all readings and ready to participate actively
and constructively in the discussions. Please note that written discussions constitute a major portion of
your participation grade. Before writing your discussion messages, review the “Discussions Criteria for
Excellence” that is located in the “Criteria for Excellence” section of the course, located directly below
the session titles in the left-hand menu.
Recognizing that not everyone feels equally comfortable jumping into conversations, I will call on lessactive students to respond during threaded discussions and Live session meetings. Please be prepared
to do so.
Reading Responses: In many sessions you will write a 1-page, single-space critique of readings. Please
note that, because sessions include four to five parts in the plan of work, you will often be assigned to
submit more than one reading critique in a given week. Reading responses should be submitted to the
drop box by the deadline listed in the session materials. Please note that the course website tracks the
date and time for all posts and drop box submissions. Those posted late will be penalized by a 50% grade
reduction. Many of the readings are research articles in political science, written in a style that may be
new to you. The note “How to Read an Academic Paper,” available in the “Criteria for Excellence”
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section of the course, may help you navigate these readings. In addition, before writing your reading
responses, review the “Reading Response Criteria for Excellence” that is located in the same “Criteria for
Excellence” section of the course, located directly below the session titles in the left-hand menu.
Annotated Map: In the first half of the course you will be asked to draw and annotate a map of the
Middle East. This will constitute 10% of the final grade, and due by the deadline listed in the session
materials. Late submissions will be penalized a 1/3 grade reduction per day late. Assignment directions
and criteria for excellence are included in the session materials.
Public Opinion Research Memo: You will be asked to formulate a hypothesis that can be tested using
Arab Barometer surveys, justify and explain your expectations, test using simple statistical techniques
and write results in a 6-8 page memo. The memo is due in the course Dropbox by August 10th. Late
memos will be penalized by a 1/3 grade reduction per day late. Assignment directions and guidelines for
excellence are included in the weekly session materials.
Grading Distribution
Class Participation:
Includes written participation in discussions and
oral participation in Live sessions
Reading Responses:
Public Opinion Memo:
Annotated Map:
Total Points:
Available Extra Credit:
30 points
30 points
30 points
10 points
100 points
10 points maximum
Extra Credit: There are optional, extra credit assignments available throughout the course. These
should be completed by the Thursday session in the week they are due. You are allowed to earn up to
10 points total toward your final grade.
ENHANCING THE COURSE
I encourage you to keep current on recent developments in the Middle East, because you will be better
positioned to participate in debates and reflections in the classroom. For example, you might want to
read a daily newspaper such as The New York Times, The Guardian, The LA Times, or The Washington
Post, and a compilation such as Middle East Foreign Policy (http://mideast.foreignpolicy.com) to follow
the news through media produced in the region. For the latter, you can find a long list of papers at
http://www.onlinenewspapers.com and visit http://www.aljazeera.com (which has an English language
site) and http://mideastwire.com.
You may also want to follow a Middle Eastern blog, some examples are available through CNN
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http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/04/14/bloggers.middle.east/index.html?hpt=Sbinor
sample the following links:
Arab World – http://itoot.net
Gaza http://a-mother-from-gaza.blogspot.com
Iraq – http://iraqblogcount.blogspot.com
Iran – http://1.blognews.name
Israel – http://israblog.nana.co.il
Lebanon – http://www.beirutspring.com
Morocco – http://riadzany.blogspot.com
Saudi Arabia – http://saudijeans.org
Syria -- http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/
Tunisia – http://tuniblogs.com
Turkey – http://aegeandisclosure.blogspot.com
UAE – http://secretdubai.blogspot.com
Egypt – http://www.bigpharaoh.com or http://www.sandmonkeyblog.com
All of these links are also available in the “General Resources” section of the Webliography. The
Webliography can be accessed from the menu that spans the top of each page in the course.
SESSION 1: EMERGENCE OF THE MODERN MIDDLE EAST (7/9-7/12)
We will introduce ourselves, become acquainted, consider what we think we already know, and share
what we hope to learn during the course. You will also become oriented by reading the syllabus and
attending a Live session. A mapping exercise will help you think critically about the Middle East as a
region, and a video lecture about the history of the Middle East will provide you with a context for
understanding topics we will investigate during the class.
S1 - Part 1: Introductory Discussion
In this threaded discussion, we will take stock of the things what we think we already know about the
Middle East, as well as things that we would like to understand by the end of the course.
S1 - Part 2: Mapping Exercise
In this exercise, you will try your hand at mapping the Middle East and share your maps with the class by
submitting them the class website by 5:00 pm on Weds, July 8th. We will discuss them in class on
Thursday.
S1 - Part 3: Making the Modern Middle East
We begin by examining the history of the Middle East, emphasizing the period from the rise of Islam to
the present. How did the present day state system emerge? What factors shaped the region? How do
these continue to influence societies and states there today?
Required Readings and Viewings
Chapter 1: Michael Gasper, “History of the Middle East”
Islam: Empire of Faith (PBS)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX3UHNhQ1Zk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1PxJomypQE&feature=fvw
Introduction to Middle East Politics, Summer 2012B, P a g e | 8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI7Qkcyz3tM&feature=related
(See also the timeline and resources at http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam)
Extra-Credit Assignment 1 (5 points available):
View both of the following films and write a 3-5 pp comparative essay.
Blood and Oil (available on-line)
Lawrence of Arabia (available on-line)
SESSION 2: CHALLENGES: REGIONAL RELATIONS, SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (7/13-7/19)
S2 - Part 1: The Arab-Israeli Conflict and Other External Influences
Domestic politics in the MENA is embedded in a complex set of regional and international influences.
Perhaps the most important among these was the establishment of the state of Israel and the attendant
regional and international relations. Other factors and forces –including MENA states vying for regional
hegemony (e.g., Turkey, Iran, Egypt, and Syria) and international forces (e.g., the US, Europe, Russia and
others) – play important roles as well. This part of Session 2 explores these forces, providing a better
understanding of the context within which domestic politics and developmental struggles take place.
Required Readings and Viewings:
Chapter 6: Mark Tessler, “Israeli-Palestinian Conflict”
Chapter 7: Marc Lynch, “Regional International Relations in the ME”
Chapter 8: Francesco Cavatorta, “International Politics of the Middle East”
Promises and Betrayals
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8739.htm
S2 - Part 2: Overview of Social and Economic Challenges facing the post-WWII MENA
MENA societies have grappled with a number of social and economic challenges in the post-WWII era.
This part of Session 2 explores those challenges, paying particular attention to those which are common
across the region as well as the sub-regional variation.
Required Readings and Audio:
Chapter 2: Moghadam and Decker, “Social Transformation and Challenges”
Chapter 3: Melani Cammett, “Political Economy”
America Abroad Media, “Overlooked and Underpaid: Arab Youth in Today’s Economy”
http://www.americaabroadmedia.org/programs/view/id/149/sf_highlight
S2 - Part 3: Economic Development and Reform
Many MENA states undertook projects of state-led industrialization and socio economic development in
the early years after independence. As the problems discussed in the previous part of Session 2, these
largely failed to produce the level of growth necessary to meet their populations’ needs. The result,
generally by the 1980s, was a turn toward economic reform based broadly on the ideas of the
Introduction to Middle East Politics, Summer 2012B, P a g e | 9
“Washington Consensus.” This part of Session 2 explores these economic trends and the problems of
economic reform, asking what the obstacles to reform are, what have been the effects of reforms to
date, and what are the possibilities looking forward.
Required Reading and Viewing:
Ibrahim Saif and Farah Choucair, “Status Quo Camouflaged: Economic and Social Transformation
of Egypt and Jordan,” Journal of Middle East Law and Governance, 2 (2010), 124-151.
Mine Eder, “Retreating State? Political Economy of Welfare Regime Change in Turkey,” Journal
of Middle East Law and Governance, 2 (2010), 152-184.
Tariq Yousef, “Development, Growth and Policy Reform in the Middle East and North Africa
since 1950,” Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 18, no. 3 (2004): 91-116.
Video/Audio: Interview with Dr. Ibrahim Saif, Carnegie Institute (available on class website)
Recommended Readings:
Chapter 24: Mine Eder, “Turkey”
Chapter 10: Tarek Masoud, “Egypt”
Extra Credit Assignment 2 (2.5 points available):
View the classic feature film Terrorism and Kebab (available on-line) and write a 2-3 page
reflective essay.
SESSION 3: REGIMES, OIL AND ISLAM (7/20-7/26)
Why did the Middle East – and particularly the Arab world – remained authoritarian, even as
democratization took place in Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and elsewhere? This question has
received enormous scholarly attention, particularly given the normative interest in democracy that
underpins American Political Science. Even after 2011, as the MENA experiences unprecedented
popular uprisings, many question the prospects for democratic reform. This session will explore
prevalent explanations for the widespread authoritarianism in the region, asking whether the Arab
uprisings may herald major steps toward democracy in the region.
S3 - Part 1: Overview of Nations, States and Regimes
The region is often viewed as exceptionally and uniformly authoritarian, but there are important
differences across the region. This part of Session 3 explores these differences. It draws attention to
the distinction between nations, state, and regimes, and recognizes the wide variation that exists in such
factors as state strength, regime types, and other institutional structures.
Introduction to Middle East Politics, Summer 2012B, P a g e | 10
Required Reading and Viewing:
Chapter 3: Ellen Lust, “Institutions and Governance”
Dan Corstange, “Tribes and the Rule of Law in Yemen,” a paper prepared for delivery at the
2008 Annual Conference of the Middle East Studies Association, available in the course
website and at http://www.bsos.umd.edu/gvpt/corstange/doc/corstange-tribes.pdf
Recommended Reading:
Chapter 25: Sarah Phillips, “Yemen”
Chapter 18: Driss Maghraqui and Saloua Zerhouni
S3 - Part 2: The Impact of Oil
“Does oil hinder democracy?” Many have argued that the prevalence of oil-rich states in the region
helps to explain its resistance to democratization. This part of Session 3 explores this question. Paying
particular attention to the many ways in which oil may affect states in the region – those that are oil
producers (with large and small populations), and those that are not—it critically examines the question
of whether oil explains authoritarianism in the Arab world.
Required Readings:
Michael L. Ross, “Does Oil Hinder Democracy?” World Politics 53, no. 3 (2001): 325-361.
Michael Herb, “No Representation without Taxation? Rents, Development, and Democracy.”
Comparative Politics 37, no. 3 (April 2005): 297-316.
Kevin K. Tsui, “More Oil, Less Democracy: Evidence from Worldwide Crude Oil Discoveries,” Vox,
May 21, 2011.
Recommended Reading and Viewing:
Michael Herb, “A Nation of Bureaucrats: Political Participation and Economic Diversification in
Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates,” International Journal of Middle East Studies 41,
no. 3 (2009): 375-395.
Kevin K. Tsui, “More Oil, Less Democracy: Evidence from Worldwide Crude Oil Discoveries,” The
Economic Journal 121, 551 (March 2011): 89-115.
Dubai’s Dirty Little Secret (ABC News, Brian Ross Investigates)
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerindex?id=2688465
Dubai, Inc. (CBS News, 60 Minutes)
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4312234n
Chapter 15: Hesham al-Awadi, “Kuwait”
Introduction to Middle East Politics, Summer 2012B, P a g e | 11
S3 - Part 3: Influence of Islam
Others have argued that Islam explains authoritarianism in the Middle East. This part of Session 3
explores that argument. It emphasizes the distinction between religion, religiosity and political Islam, as
well as the various ways in which Islam can be interpreted. This part of the session also draws students’
attention to variations in the arguments that Islam affects politics, paying particular attention to the
levels of analyses and underlying mechanisms put forth.
Required Readings and Viewings:
Mark Tessler, “Religion, Religiosity and the Place of Islam in Political Life: Insights from the Arab
Barometer Surveys,” Journal of Middle East Law and Governance, 2 (2010), 221-273.
M. Steven Fish, “Islam and Authoritarianism,” World Politics 55 (October 2002): 4-37.
David Bukay, “Can there be an Islamic Democracy?” Middle East Quarterly (Spring 2007): 71-79
available at http://www.meforum.org/1680/can-there-be-an-islamic-democracy.
Ellen Lust, “Missing the Third Wave: Islam, Institutions and Democracy in the Middle East,”
Studies in Comparative International Development (June 2011).
Marina Ottaway and Marwan Muasher, “Islamist Parties in Power: Work in Progress,” available
at http://carnegieendowment.org/2012/05/23/islamist-parties-in-power-work-inprogress/aw7x##
Video: Veiled Voices (available on class website)
Recommended Readings and Viewings:
Chapter 9: Lahouari Addi, “Algeria”
Chapter 24: Jeffrey Coupe, “Tunisia”
Chapter 21: Pascal Menoret, “Saudi Arabia”
Pew Research Center, A Report on Mapping the World’s Global Muslim Population (October
2009).
Extra Credit Assignment 3 (2.5 points available):
View the feature film Closed Doors (available on class website) and write a 2-3 page reflection
paper.
SESSION 4: POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION (7/27-8/2)
Across the MENA – and regardless of the types of regimes in which they reside – citizens have opinions,
make demands, and seek to influence politics. In this session, we examine public opinion in the region,
recognize the various avenues available for political participation, and consider factors that may shape
Introduction to Middle East Politics, Summer 2012B, P a g e | 12
citizens’ attitudes and their engagement in politics. We ask not only who engages, when and how, but
also what changes have taken place to so dramatically alter the nature of politics in the region today.
This session has two goals. First, it aims to give a broad overview of public opinion and political
participation in the region. Second, it provides students an introduction to basic research – emphasizing
how to ask a research question, conduct basic data analysis and draw conclusions. It includes the tools
that students need to conduct their public opinion memo, due the final day of class.
S4 - Part 1: Civil Society, Political Parties and Elections
This part of Session 4 examines the role of civil society, political parties and elections. Some believe that
these help foster democracy, while others have been more skeptical. What is the role of parliaments
that are the focus of many elections in the Arab world, and what is the nature of elections in
authoritarian regimes? How do political parties and civil society influence participation in elections and
elsewhere?
Required Readings and Viewings:
Chapter 5: Amaney Jamal, “Actors, Public Opinion and Participation”
Ellen Lust, “Legislative Elections in Authoritarian Regimes: Competitive Clientelism and Regime
Stability,” Journal of Democracy (July 2009).
Ellen Lust, “The Multiple Meanings of Elections in Non-Democratic Regimes: Breakdown,
Response and Outcome in the Arab Uprisings,” manuscript (2012).
Staffan Lindberg, “A Mixed Record,” Journal of Democracy¸20 (July 2009): 86-92.
Vickie Langohr, “Too Much Civil Society, Too Little Politics: Egypt and Liberalizing Arab Regimes,”
Comparative Politics (June 2004).
Recommended Readings:
Jennifer Gandhi and Ellen Lust-Okar, “Elections under Authoritarianism,” Annual Review of
Political Science, 12 (2009): 403-422.
Debate: “Democracy Is about More Than Elections,” Middle East Quarterly
Summer 2006, pp. 29-37 available at http://www.meforum.org/983/debate-democracyis-about-more-than-elections
Chapter 14: Laurie Brand, “Jordan”
S4 - Part 2: Social Media and Activism
This part of Session 4 explores the potential agency of actors who are trying to affect change. What
strategies can activists’ take? What tools do they have to mobilize against regimes, and how have these
Introduction to Middle East Politics, Summer 2012B, P a g e | 13
changed over time? In particular, how does the new social media—such as Facebook and Twitter –
affect politics?
Required Reading and Viewing:
Joel Beinin and Frederic Vairel, Social Movements, Mobilization and Contestation in the Middle
East and North Africa. (Introduction, 1, and 9)
S4 - Part 3: Special Focus: Gender
Many argue that empowerment of women – and increased participation in the workplace, politics and
broader public sphere –is one of the most powerful ways to promote development. This part of Session
4 explores the gender gap in the MENA. What are the obstacles women face, the most effective
mechanisms for overcoming these, and the prospects for improving the status of women?
Required Reading and Viewing:
Kristine Goulding, “Unjustifiable Means to Unjustifiable Ends,” available at Al-Raida:
http://www.iiav.nl/ezines/IAV_600009/IAV_600009_2009_126_127.pdf#page=7..
Valentine M. Moghadam and Farzaneh Roudi-Fahimi, “Reforming Family Laws to Promote
Progress in the Middle East and North Africa,” Population Resource Bureau report.
Hoda Elsadda, “Women's rights activism in post-Jan25 Egypt: Combating the Shadow of the First
Lady Syndrome in the Arab world,” Middle East Law and Governance. 3 (1-2), 2011 , 8493.
Video: Algeria: Women at War (available on class website)
Margot Badran, “Between Secular and Islamic Feminism/s: Reflections on the Middle East and
Beyond,” Journal of Middle East Women’s Studies. (2005).
**Tentative: Interview with Prof. Lilia Labidi, former Minister of Women’s Affairs, Tunisia.
SESSION 5: THE ‘ARAB SPRING’: IMPACT ON POLITICS AND SCHOLARSHIP (8/3-8/9)
S5 - Part 1: The Arab Spring: Why, When, Where – and to What Effect?
The uprisings that escalated across the Arab world in 2011 took Arab citizens, scholars, policymakers
and long-standing observers of the region by surprise. What explains the spread of uprisings across the
region? Why did they begin where and when they did? What explains where they spread, and where
countries remained relatively untouched? And, what is the impact of this on participation in the region?
Required Reading and Viewing:
Introduction to Middle East Politics, Summer 2012B, P a g e | 14
Ellen Lust, “Why Now? Micro-Transitions and the Arab Uprisings,” Comparative PoliticsDemocratization Newsletter, available via The Monkey Cage at
http://themonkeycage.org/blog/2011/10/24/why-now-micro-transitions-and-the-arabuprisings/
Valerie Bunce and David Patel, “Turning Points and the Cross-National Diffusion of Popular
Protest,” Comparative Politics-Democratization Newsletter, available via The Monkey
Cage at
http://themonkeycage.org/blog/2012/02/29/cross-national-diffusion-of-protest/.
“Algeria: The Revolution that Never Was,” available at
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/2012/05/201251614545723
2336.html
Recommended Reading:
Excepts from Lina Khatib and Ellen Lust (Eds.), Taking to the Streets: Activism and the Arab
Uprising (Johns Hopkins University Press, forthcoming.)
S5 - Part 2: Challenges and Prospects: Case Study of Constitutionalism and Rule of Law
The fall of Mubarak in Egypt precipitated a contentious debate among Islamists, liberals, and Nasserists
– under the watchful eye of a military with entrenched interests - over whether Egypt needed a new
constitution, how it should be drafted, and what it should say. What are the core challenges for
developing a constitution that binds governments to the rule of law in new democracies like Egypt and
Iraq? Will they be able to accommodate difference? What will make the constitutions legitimate in the
eyes of citizens?
Required Reading:
Al-Shater, Khairat. 2011. “The Nahda Project.” Text of Speech delivered March 2011.
Translation:
http://www.currenttrends.org/research/detail/khairat-al-shater-on-the-nahda-projectcomplete-translation#
Feldman, Noah and Roman Martinez. 2006. “Constitutional Politics and Text in the New Iraq: An
Experiment in Islamic Democracy.” Fordham Law Review, (75:2).
Moustafa, Tamir. 2012. “Drafting Egypt’s New Constitution.” Brookings Doha Center
Publications: No. 11.
http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2012/0312_egypt_constitution_moustafa.aspx
Stilt, Kirsten. 2010. “‘Islam is the Solution’: Constitutional Visions of the Egyptian Muslim
Brotherhood.” Texas International Law Journal, (46:73).
** Discussion led by Kevin Russell
Introduction to Middle East Politics, Summer 2012B, P a g e | 15
S5 - Part 3: The Arab Spring: Assessing Gaps, Moving On.
How has the “Arab Spring “altered the study of politics in the region? What did the (unexpected)
uprisings reveal about scholarship? And what new questions and theoretical revision do they raise?
Together, these questions help us to understand not only where the region and scholarship on it may be
going, but also to better analyze where it has been.
Required Reading:
Asef Bayat, “The Post-Islamist Revolutions: What the Revolts in the Arab World Mean,” Foreign
Affairs. (2011) http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/67812/asef-bayat/the-postislamist-revolutions
POMEPS memo (to be distributed), June 2012.
Ellen Laipson et al, Seismic Shift: Understanding Change in the Middle East (Washington, DC:
Stimson Institute, 2012).
Extra Credit Assignment 4 (2.5 points available):
Read the classic novella Autumn Quail by Najib Mahfouz (available through on-line booksellers)
and write a 2-3 page paper reflecting on the current situation in the Arab world.
ABOUT THE PROFESSOR: ELLEN LUST
EDUCATION
Ellen Lust is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Yale
University. She received a PhD in Political Science and an MA in Middle East
Studies at the University of Michigan.
PUBLICATIONS
Ellen's publications include Structuring Conflict in the Arab World (Cambridge University Press, 2005);
Political Participation in the Middle East (Lynne Reinner Press, 2008), co-edited with Saloua Zerhouni;
The Middle East, an edited textbook (CQ Press, 2010); and Governing Africa's Changing Societies (Lynne
Rienner Press, forthcoming 2012), co-edited with Stephen Ndegwa. She has also published articles in
Introduction to Middle East Politics, Summer 2012B, P a g e | 16
such journals as Studies in Comparative International Development, Comparative Politics, Comparative
Political Studies, International Journal of Middle East Studies and Politics and Society.
FOCUS OF WORK
Ellen's work broadly examines the politics of authoritarianism, and through this, the prospects for
development and democracy in the region. She is currently working on a book manuscript examining the
politics of elections in the Arab world. She is also an associate editor of the journal, Middle East Law and
Governance, sponsored by the University of Toronto and Yale University Law Schools.
ABOUT THE TEACHING ASSISTANT: KEVIN RUSSELL
EDUCATION
Kevin graduated from Williams College (2000), where he majored in astrophysics
and philosophy. He also holds a Graduate Diploma in physics from Sydney
University, Australia (2001), where he was a Fulbright Scholar, and received an MA
in International Affairs and Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced
International Studies (SAIS) in 2004. He is currently a Ph D student in Political
Science at Yale.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
From 2004 to 2008, Kevin worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), primarily in the Iraq
Policy office, as well as the Joint Staff (J-5), OSD Comptroller, OSD Program Analysis and Evaluation, and
the State Department's Office of Reconstruction and Stabilization and U.S. Embassy Khartoum. He then
joined the State Department Provincial Reconstruction Team in Taji, Iraq, where he served as
governance advisor until 2009.
FOCUS OF WORK
Kevin’s research focuses on constitutional transitions and development of the rule of law in the fields of
comparative politics and political theory. Next year, he will be in South Africa undertaking research
aimed at shedding light on the challenges that Arab states will have in (re)consolidating regimes and
establishing rule of law.