MIDDLE EAST CONFLICTS AND GLOBAL SECURITY
Professor Naomi Weinberger
School of International and Public Affairs
Columbia University
REGN U6719
Thursdays 11AM-12:50PM
Classroom: 407 IAB
Fall 2015
Office hours:
Mondays 1-3pm
1321 IAB
August 31 draft
ABSTRACT
This course analyzes the impact of domestic and regional conflicts in the Middle East on global
security. Key concepts include: regime change, revolution, insurrection, conflict management,
security sector reform, arms transfers, nuclear proliferation, and counterterrorism. These conceptual
tools are used for comparative analysis of three sub-regional conflict zones (Palestine/Israel,
Syria/Lebanon, and Iran/Iraq), which have experienced varying degrees of global engagement.
COURSE FORMAT
The class features an open-ended lecture format. Lectures draw on a broad range of sources and
provide a context for challenging perspectives expressed in the assigned articles, as explored in
give-and-take with students.
Assigned readings are selected to convey of a range of opinions on controversial themes. Each
week, three selections (mostly articles from scholarly journals) constitute the assigned reading,
which students are expected to complete in advance of class.
Restricting the syllabus to several readings per week cannot do justice to the complexity of each
topic. However, a realistic reading assignment enables students to fulfill this requirement diligently,
and you are expected to do so. Supplementary sources will be suggested, to encourage
exploration of specific topics in greater depth.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Rigorous standards of academic integrity are enforced in this course. Any written assignment
submitted with evidence of plagiarism will receive a grade of zero.
REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING
o
o
TAKE-HOME ESSAYS [30% of grade]

Two essays, each of which addresses one of the sub-regional conflict zones covered in the course.

For each essay assignment, you will choose one topic from a list of several options. The key to
doing well on the essay is to make a convincing argument and to demonstrate that you have
done the relevant assigned readings and considered them critically.
TAKE-HOME FINAL EXAM [30% of grade]

o
SIMULATION EXERCISES [20% of grade]


o
A take-home final will be due on the first day of exam week. You will select 6 out of 10 quotations,
selected from the assigned reading, and respond to the question posed about each quote. The
exam covers all of the material in the course.
UN Special Committee on Palestine (1947)
Future of Syria (Conference format)
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION [20% of grade]
ATTENDANCE: Students are expected to attend class regularly [10 points]:
o One point will be deducted for each unexcused absence (up to 3). A student who misses 4 sessions
(other than for health or family emergencies) will earn an attendance score of zero.
PARTICIPATION: Students are invited to participate actively in class discussion. [10 points]:
o Each student is required to submit two critical questions, each of which is derived from a different
article, by Wednesday evening every week. One point will be deducted for any week in which questions
are not submitted.
o A student who submits questions on time every week will automatically earn a score of 6 for
participation. Additional credit (up to 10 points) reflects quality of class participation, such as thoughtful
and knowledgeable insights into readings.
CHRONOLOGY OF WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
ASSIGNMENT
TOPIC
DATE DUE
POSITION PAPER: GAME 1
UNSCOP
SEPTEMBER 28
2
ESSAY 1
PALESTINE/ ISRAEL
OCTOBER 19
POSITION PAPER: GAME 2
FUTURE OF SYRIA
NOVEMBER 9
ESSAY 2
SYRIA/ LEBANON
NOVEMBER 16
FINAL EXAMINATON
ENTIRE COURSE/ emphasis on IRANIRAQ
DECEMBER 14
SEQUENCE OF TOPICS IN THE COURSE
SUB-REGIONAL
SESSION
DATE
CONCEPT
CASE(S)
1
9/10
OVERVIEW
[SURVEY]
2
9/17
REGIONAL & GLOBAL SECURITY
[THEORY]
3
9/24
COMPETING NATIONAL VISIONS
PALESTINE MANDATE
4
10/1
SIMULATION EXERCISE
UN SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON
CONFLICT ZONE
PALESTINE / ISRAEL
PALESTINE
SYRIA / LEBANON
IRAN / IRAQ
5
10/8
ARMS TRANSFERS
ARAB-ISRAEL WARS
6
10/15
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
WEST BANK & GAZA
7
10/22
SECURITY ZONE
SOUTHERN LEBANON
8
10/29
MILITARY ELITES
SYRIA
9
11/5
INSURRECTION
SYRIA
10
11/11
SIMULATION EXERCISE
FUTURE OF SYRIA
11
11/19
REGIME CHANGE
IRAQ
12
12/3
REVOLUTION
IRAN
13
12/10
NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION
IRAN
3
WEEKLY TOPICS AND READINGS
All readings will be posted on Courseworks, in Files and Resources.
INTRODUCTION
1. OVERVIEW [Sept. 10]
No assigned readings
2. REGIONAL AND GLOBAL SECURITY [Sept. 17]
Marc Lynch, “Obama and the Middle East.” Foreign Affairs, October 2015.
Florence Gaub and Alexandra Laban. “Arab Futures: Three Scenarios for 2025.” Report no. 22. Paris:
EU Institute for Security Studies, 2015.
Grant Rumley and Amir Tibon, “The Death and Life of the Two-State Solution.” Foreign Affairs 94:4
(August 7, 2015): 78–87.
PALESTINE / ISRAEL
3. COMPETING NATIONAL VISIONS [Sept. 24]
Benny Morris, Righteous Victims (Vintage Books, 1999), Chapters 1-3.
Rashid Khalidi, The Iron Cage (Beacon Press, 2006), Chapters 3-4.
Chaim Kaufmann, “When All Else Fails: Ethnic Population Transfers and Partitions in the Twentieth
Century,” International Security 23:2 (Autumn 1998): 120-156.
4. SIMULATION EXERCISE: UN SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON PALESTINE [Oct. 1]
5. ARMS TRANSFERS: ARAB-ISRAEL WARS [Oct. 8]
Avi Shlaim, The Iron Wall (2000), Chapter 4, “The Road to Suez.”
William Quandt, Peace Process (1974), Chapter 2, “Yellow Light: 1967.”
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Mohammed Heikal, The Road to Ramadan (1974), pp. 207-256.
6. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT: WEST BANK & GAZA [Oct. 15]
Rema Hammami and Salim Tamari, “The Second Uprising: End or New Beginning,” Journal of
Palestine Studies (Winter 2001).
Kimberly Marten, “Reformed or Deformed? Patronage Politics, International Influence, and the
Palestinian Authority Security Forces.” International Peacekeeping 21:2 (March 15, 2014): 181–97.
Eitan Shamir and Eado Hecht, “Gaza 2014: Israel’s Attrition vs. Hamas’ Exhaustion.” Parameters 44: 4
(Winter 2014-2015): 81–90.
FIRST ESSAY: DUE OCTOBER 19
SYRIA / LEBANON
7. SECURITY ZONE: SOUTH LEBANON
[Oct. 22]
Avraham Sela, “Civil Society, the Military, and National Security: The Case of Israel’s Security Zone in
Southern Lebanon,” Israel Studies 12:1 (Spring 2007): 53-78.
Benedetta Berti, Armed Political Organizations (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013), Chapter 3,
“The Lebanese Hezbollah: Armed Struggle and Political Integration.”
Iver Gabrielsen, “Military Strategy and the Conduct of the 2006 Israel–Hezbollah War.” Comparative
Strategy 32:5 (November 1, 2013): 435–42.
8. MILITARY ELITES: SYRIA [Oct. 29]
Christian Sahner, Among the Ruins: Syria Past and Present. Oxford University Press, 2014. Chapters 34.
Bassam Haddad, “Syria’s State Bourgeoisie: An Organic Backbone for the Regime” Middle East
Critique 21:3 (Fall 2012): 231-257.
Raymond Hinnebusch, “The Foreign Policy of Syria,” in The Foreign Policies of Middle East States,
2nd edition (Lynne Rienner 2014) ed. Hinnebusch and Ehteshami.
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9. INSURRECTION: SYRIA [Nov. 5]
Nader Hashemi, “Syria, Savagery and Self-Determination,” in The Syria Dilemma, edited by Nader
Hashemi and Danny Postel. MIT Press, 2013.
Michael Weiss and Hassan Hassan. ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror. New York, NY: Regan Arts, 2015,
Chapters 7 and 9.
Fred Lawson, “Syria’s Mutating Civil War and Its Impact on Turkey, Iraq and Iran.” International
Affairs 90:6 (November 2014): 1351–65.
10. SIMULATION EXERCISE: FUTURE OF SYRIA [Nov. 12]
SECOND ESSAY: DUE NOVEMBER 16
IRAN / IRAQ
11. REGIME CHANGE: IRAQ (2003) [Nov. 19]
Fawaz Gerges, Obama and the Middle East (New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan Trade, 2013),
Chapter 2.
Zaid al-Ali, The Struggle for Iraq’s Future, Chapters 3 and 9.
Michael Knights,. “The Long Haul: Rebooting US Security Cooperation in Iraq,” January 2015.
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/the-long-haul-rebooting-u.s.-securitycooperation-in-iraq.
12. REVOLUTION: IRAN
[Dec. 3]
Said Amir Arjomand, “Iran’s Islamic Revolution in Comparative Perspective,” World Politics 38:3
(April 1986): 383-414.
Anoushiravan Ehteshami, “The Foreign Policy of Iran,” in The Foreign Policies of Middle East States,
2nd edition, ed. Hinnebusch and Ehteshami (Lynne Rienner 2014).
Kagan, Frederic. “Khameini’s Team of Rivals.” American Enterprise Institute, July 2014.
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13. NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION: IRAN
[Dec. 10]
Robert Litwak,“Iran’s Nuclear Chess.” Woodrow Wilson Center, n.d.
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/irans_nuclear_chess_calculating_americas_moves.p
df.
Dalia Kaye et al, Israel and Iran: A Dangerous Rivalry, Chapters 3-4.
Gary Samore, editor. “The Iran Deal: A Definitive Guide.” Belfer Center, Harvard University, August 3,
2015. http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/25599/iran_nuclear_deal.html.
FINAL EXAM : DUE DECEMBER 14
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