Political Science 4605
Dr. Walid Kazziha
Spring 2015
Office hours MH, 1-3, or by appointment.
Office 2018
FIRST RULE:
"Students are not allowed into the classroom once the class is in session. No student is allowed to drift
in or out of class, unless a prior permission has been obtained from the instructor at the beginning of
the session." Cheers.
International Politics in the Middle East
The Purpose of this seminar is to explore the relationships of the Middle East to the Great powers of
our time, with emphasis on the political , military , economic and cultural impact of these powers on
shaping the region , and determining its future, from colonial times until the present. It is also the
purpose of the seminar to familiarize the students with the current issues which form the basis of the
strained relations among the countries of the Middle East as well as with those outside the region.
In the course of examining the various phases of IR in the ME from WWI until the present, we will
analyze three major factors that interact to produce basic political trends, namely: 1. The domestic
setting in each ME state; 2. The politics of regional powers; and 3. The role of Great powers.
Further more, we will concentrate in our study of the region on a number of topics: emergence of state
systems, the impact of ideological trends, and the current status of regional- international politics in
particular in Syria and Iraq, Palestine , Turkey, the Gulf region, and the growing influence of political
Islam.
Requirements of the seminar
The course will be divided into three major parts. In the first part our focus will be on a critical study of
some of the theories which, attempted to find an explanation for the emergence of a new world order,
particularly since the collapse of the bipolar system in the early 1990s. In the second part of the course,
we will concentrate on the historical and political evolution and development of the state system in the
ME. And in the third part of the course we will examine a select number of current issues that seem to
have a direct impact on the ME in IR.
In order to meet the requirements of the course, students are required to complete the following tasks:
1- Read the weekly assignments in preparation for 2 one hour exams. 35 % each.
Please read the assignments on time so as to be able to participate intelligently in the discussions.
You will find that you have no substitute to reading the assignments and attending regularly class for
you to pass the two exams with a decent grade.
Attendance and participation is required and students are expected to attend all the sessions.
2- Each Student will participate in one of the following study groups: The crisis in Iraq and Syria, The
Iranian Nuclear Program, Political Islam, Turkey’s Role in the ME, Palestinian - Israeli Conflict.
Students in the same study group will be scheduled a specific date to present their findings to the class.
On that date each student in the group will make an oral presentation. The performance of the student
will be evaluated by his peers (10%), however, the instructor will reserve his right to overrule peer
evaluation if he feels that students are not taking their responsibility seriously.
Between May 14 &18 each student will submit a written paper (5-7 pages) elaborating one aspect of the
study he/she has been involved in ( submission of written paper individually may take place anytime in
the last week of classes) 20%
Grading:
1- Exam # 1.
March 5,
35%
2- Exam # 2
April 2,
35%
3- Class presentation
4-Paper Submission
Starting April 14
May 14- 18,
10%
20%
(No papers will be accepted after 5:00 pm on May 18)
Textbooks:
1- Louise Fawcett, International Relations of the Middle East , Oxford University Press, 2009
2-Fred Halliday, The Middle East in international Relations: Power, Politics and Ideology, Cambridge
University Press, 2005
3- Tareq Y. Ismael, The International Relations of the Middle East in the 21st century: Patterns of
continuity and change, Ashgate, 2000.
Weekly Schedule:
Week 1 - 5. The New World Order
Clash of civilizations -Huntington
Pivotal State- Kennedy
End of History - Fukuyama
The state: Globalization in the Middle East – Richard Falk in Ismael.
Shift of Global power to the East- Kayshour Mahbubani
The Age of Nonpolarity, Richard Haas (Foreign Affairs, May-June 2008
The World Order, New York Times review of Henry Kissinger's recent book.
The Unravelling, by Richard Haass, in Foreign Affairs, November/December 2014
Week 6
Approaches to the study of the ME in IR
Halliday PP 1-40
Week 7
Impact of Colonialism
Fawcett 21-43, the Arab Entry to International Relations, by Eugene Rogan.
Week 8
ME in the cold war: Suez 56, 67, 73
Halliday 97-129
Week 9
The US in the ME
A.Michael Hudson, Redefining US Role in the Gulf War, 308-330, in Fawcett
B. Mersheimer and Walt: The Israel Lobby and American Foreign Policy
Week 10
Major Non-State Actors in the Middle East
A. Reinoud Leenders, Know Thy Enemy: Hizbullah and the Politics of Perception
B. Charles Lister, Profiling the Islamic State
Week 11-13.
Class Presentations
Group report 1: The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
Group report 2: The Crisis in Syria and Iraq
Group report 3: The Iranian Nuclear Program
Group report 4: Political Islam
Group report 5: Turkey in the ME
Some Rules to be observed:
1. According to university regulations, a total of 3 week absences could result in an F in the course no
matter what the reason is. This rule will be strictly adhered to.
2. Make ups should not be expected.
3. No extra credit will be offered to improve a grade unless it applies to the whole class.
4. A student may appeal his grade to the instructor IN WRITING, within one week of receiving his/her
exam booklet.
DISCLAIMER
THIS SYLLABUS IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE COURSE. YOU CANNOT CLAIM ANY
RIGHTS FROM IT. IN PARTICULAR, SCHEDULING AND DATES MAY CHANGE. I MAY ALSO CHOOSE TO ADD
OR DELETE SOME OF THE READINGS.
THE SYLLABUS SHOULD BE A RELIABLE GUIDE FOR THE COURSE, AND IF ANY CHANGES ARE MADE
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS WILL ALWAYS BE MADE IN CLASS OR ON BANNER OR BLACKBOARD.