Geography 390a: Geographies of the Middle East: Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq
(Tuesday & Thursday 17:00 – 18:30, Room 101)
Instructor: Chris Harker
Office: 140G
Email: charker@geog.ubc.ca
Office Hours: Tues, Thurs: 4-5 or by appointment
Course website: http://www.geog.ubc.ca/~charker/geog390.html
Overview:
This course will provide you with a critical geographical perspective on the Middle East.
The course will begin by examining how ‘we, here’ know ‘them, there’ (with particular
reference to Said’s history and critique of Orientalism), to unsettle easy understandings of
the ‘region’ that lies at the heart of this course. We will then focus on Palestine, Lebanon
and Iraq, three nations that are highly visible in the geographical imaginations of Western
publics, media and academia. In each case, we will begin by examining the history of
these lands (and their relations with various colonial projects). This historical context will
provide a grounding for subsequent explorations of the current geopolitical, economic
and socio-cultural relations that have emerged within (and between) Palestine, Lebanon
& Iraq, and their broader implications for the region and the rest of the world.
Course themes:
1. Orientalism, The Colonial Present and Geography
2. Palestine
3. Lebanon
4. Iraq
Learning objectives and outcomes:
Key course objectives are for you to engage with a range of ideas, literatures and source
materials, actively participate in class learning activities (including group discussions and
exercises) and develop your abilities to think and write critically. By the end of this
course you should develop an understanding of some of the complex geographies of the
Middle East, particularly Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq. The course is also designed to
challenge you to think through the ways in which your life and the lives of those around
you connect, politically and ethically, with various Middle Eastern peoples and spatial
formations.
Evaluation:
Photo essay:
Blog analysis:
Research Paper:
Class Discussions (24th & 26th March):
Final Exam:
10%
20%
30%
10%
30%
Guidelines for Assignments:
Style, Presentation and Submission
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All assignments should make use of course readings and reference these work in
clear and consistent manner. If in doubt, use the same style as the reading list
above (i.e. author, date). Please remember that plagiarism will not be tolerated.
As a university student, you are required to use proper citation and referencing.
For more details on plagiarism, please read Plagiarism: What it is and how to
avoid it, a booklet prepared by Colin Gordon, Peter Simmons, and Graeme Wynn
or go to the UBC Library site which has a great resource for figuring out how and
when to cite: http://toby.library.ubc.ca/subjects/subjpage2.cfm?id=673
All assignments will be partly graded on spelling and grammar. Edit your work
before submitting it.
Language should be nonsexist and nonracist, and political and personal opinions
must be specified as such.
Title pages are not permitted. They waste paper. The title should be at the top of
the first page. Leave a line and then begin writing. Include your name in the
header. Number each page.
All written assignments should be typed in 12 point Times New Roman with
standard margins and be double-spaced (unless otherwise noted.) Please securely
staple your paper. Do not use a binder or folder.
If possible, print on both sides of the paper or re-use paper that has already been
printed on. When doing the latter, please put a single black line through the side
that is not to be read.
Assignments must be turned in either at the beginning of class or by 4:00 p.m. in
the Geography office (RM 217) on the due-date as specified by each assignment.
5% will be deducted for every day an assignments is late.
You are required as part of assignments to keep digital copies of your final drafts
and be able to supply these upon request.
Considerable time and care is spent in reading and marking all of your
assignments in order to ensure that marks are appropriate and fair. Marks are final
(with the exception of miscalculation of mark). If you wish to challenge your
mark, you must go through formal university processes to do so.
If you have a learning disability that requires consideration, please notify me in
the beginning of term with the proper documentation.
The University has many support services for students; a full list is available at
http://www.ubc.ca/pdf/students_in_crisis.pdf
Assignment 1. Photo essay
Due January 27th
You will create a photo essay using up to five photographs (with captions) of ‘the Middle
East’ as you apprehend it in Metro Vancouver. Your photographs will be accompanied by
a 2-3 page essay (double-spaced) that reflects on the images you have produced,
including the context in which you took each photograph (e.g. where are they situated?).
The bulk of your essay should examine how these images connect you – materially,
imaginatively, socially, economically, culturally, historically – with the Middle East.
Objective: The first objective of this assignment is to highlight and examine the ways in
which the Middle East is part of our everyday lives here in Vancouver, Canada. The
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second objective is to think critically about and apply the concepts of Orientalism and/or
the Colonial Present, and examine the ways in which ‘we, here’ and connected with a
‘them, there’.
Method: The recommended method is to take as many photographs as possible, taking
multiple (serial) photographs if this is practical. You might photograph people (with their
permission), cultural objects, buildings, other places or events. While taking photographs,
jot down some field notes about the picture and where you took it. When you come write
your essay, select up to five that seem to relate to each other in some way.
Note: My interest is not in the aesthetic quality of your photographs. It is, however,
important that I can clearly see whatever it is you are photographing.
Assignment 2. Blog analysis
Due February 24th
On January 1st 2008, Palestinian journalist Laila El Haddad gave birth to her second
child, Noor, and wrote about the experience on her blog: ‘Raising Yousuf and Noor:
Diary of a Palestinian Mother’ [http://a-mother-from-gaza.blogspot.com/]. Laila
describes herself in the following way:
I am a Palestinian from Gaza. I am a Muslim. I am a journalist. I am a mother.
This blog is about the trials of raising my children between spaces and identitiesGaza, the US, Lebanon, Haifa, while working as a journalist, and everything that
entails from potty training to border crossings. My husband is a Palestinian
refugee denied his right of return to Palestine, and thus OUR right to family life.
Together, we endure a lot, and the personal becomes political. This is our story.
For this assignment, you must first read Laila’s blog entries from January 2008 until the
present. Then using readings from class and other pertinent references, choose one or
more posts from Laila’s blog to explore in no more than 1000 words how the personal
and political become intertwined in the lives of Laila, her family and/or friends. You
should focus on one specific topic, such as the recent attack on Gaza, the preceding siege,
mobility, right of return, family & gender relations or exile, (there are many more - do
not feel constrained by this list). Your analysis should examine how the experiences Laila
writes are grounded in and depart from broader processes affecting Palestinians today,
and how her accounts conform to and/or challenge some of the academic literature about
Palestine.
Objective: The first objective of this assignment is to become more aware of some of the
contemporary realities experienced by (different) Palestinian people. The second
objective of this assignment is to examine how some of the geographical processes
discussed in class and in the readings affect the lives of particular, embodied Palestinians,
and also how these ‘real’ lives might differ from academic accounts.
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Note: Please list the date(s) of the blog post(s) you refer to at the beginning of your
analysis. Do not reproduce the entire post. Remember, Laila writes about many people
other than herself, and you can write about them too.
Assignment 3. Research Paper
Due April 2nd
Take one theme, place, space, event, concept or process (big or small), from any lecture:
an idea that has captured your imagination. Pursue it through some library research.
Drawing upon at least 5 especially pertinent references, in no more than 1500 words
write a paper that explains and illustrates your topic. This is a short assignment so tackle
a focus that is manageable and allows you to explore the selected issue in some detail.
Assignment 4. Student-led Discussions
Due March 31st
In the classes scheduled for March 24th and March 26th, the class will be divided into
groups of 5-6 students each. You are required to lead one of these discussions, along with
2 other classmates, and participate as a discussant in the other class.
The article for discussion on March 24th is:
Le Billion, P. 2005. ‘Corruption, Reconstruction and Oil Governance in Iraq’. Third
World Quarterly 26 (4-5): 685-703.
The article for discussion on March 26th is:
Fontan, V. 2006. ‘Polarization between occupier and occupied in post-Saddam Iraq:
colonial humiliation and the formation of political violence’. Terrorism and Political
Violence 18: 217-238.
Everyone is expected to have read both articles and thought about them critically in
advance of the discussions. All group members are expected to participate actively and
constructively in discussions. In order to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each
paper and how it relates to various course themes, you should think about the style,
structure and content of the paper, what you found difficult, interesting or provocative,
any assumptions underlying the argument and any important issues that have been
overlooked. Don’t be afraid to state your own point of view, but also ensure that you are
respectful of others’ ideas and questions.
Your responsibility as a discussion group leader is not to lecture but to raise questions,
keep discussion on track, manage participation (encourage those who are nervous or
reluctant to contribute and avoid having a few people dominate the discussion),
encourage critique and sum up major points. There is a short article on leading
discussions in the GIC taken from P. Kneale, 1999, Study Skills for Geography Students,
Oxford University Press, pp. 104-112. This article gives some ideas about how to frame
questions effectively. For example, employ open-ended questions that encourage
elaborated rather than brief yes and no answers. “What does Philip Le Billion’s article
tell us about the governance of Iraq” is probably going to elicit more interesting
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commentary than “Do you like Philip Le Billion’s article?” (Although the latter might be
interesting if you follow up with questions about why they feel that way.)
Participation: Discussion group leaders will agree upon a grade for participating students
(excluding themselves). Group leaders should submit one list of grades for participants
on March 31st. You are encouraged to use the full range, including half marks. Group
leaders will not receive a mark for participating in their own discussion group but will
receive a grade for their written discussion group report.
5% total: 1% for attendance and 4% for participation.
Discussion Group Report: You should submit a report (maximum of 800 words) of the
discussion group you led. This report has two elements: it should provide an evaluation
of the discussion itself and a brief critique of the paper under discussion. You may
discuss these elements separately, or combine them if you prefer.
Points you may want to discuss include the themes around which the discussion was
organised, reactions to the paper, significant points that came up in discussion, the
classroom dynamic, what went well and what could be improved. You may want to
comment on why you chose to organise the discussion in a particular way and how you
might do it differently if you were to lead that discussion again. In terms of the content of
the paper you should sum up the author’s central argument and key points and give your
evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses and how useful you found it.
5% total.
Reading List: (Bold = mandatory, Plain text = recommended).
Orientalism, The Colonial Present and Geography
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Said, E. 2003 (1977). Orientalism. New York: Vintage Books.
Particularly Chpt 1.1 & 1.2 (pages 31-73 in my edition).
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Said, E. 1993. ‘Chpt 1: Empire, Geography, and Culture’, in Culture and
Imperialism. New York: Vintage Books. pp. 3-14.
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Gregory, D. 2000. ‘ Chpt 14: Edward Said’s imaginative geographies’, in M.
Crang & N. Thrift (eds.) Thinking Space. New York: Routledge. 302-348.
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Gregory, D. 2004. ‘Chpt 1: The Colonial Present’, in The Colonial Present.
Oxford: Blackwell. 1-16.
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Lockman, Z. 2004. ‘After Orientalism?’ in Contending Visions of the Middle
East. New York: Cambridge University Press. 215-267. (Online)
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Gibson-Graham, J-K. 2004. ‘Area studies after poststructuralism’ Environment
and Planning A 36: 405-419. (Online)
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Robinson, J. 2003. ‘Postcolonising geography: tactics and pitfalls’ Singapore
Journal of Tropical Geography 24: 273-289. (Online)
Palestine
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Kimmerling, B. & Migdal, J. 2003. ‘Chpt 1: The Revolt of 1834 and the Making
of Modern Palestine’ & ‘Chpt 4: The Arab Revolt, 1936-1939’ in The Palestinian
people: a history. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
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Falah, G. 1996. ‘The 1948 Israeli-Palestinian War and its Aftermath: The
Transformation and De-Signification of Palestine’s Cultural Landscape’
Annals of the Association of American Geographers 86: 256-285. (Online)
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Taraki, L. & Giacaman, R. 2006. ‘Chpt 1: Modernity aborted and reborn: ways of
being urban in Palestine’ in L. Taraki (ed.) Living Palestine: family survival,
resistance and mobility under occupation. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press.
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Farsakh, L. 2005. ‘Chpt 2: Development under occupation: structural change in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip, 1967-1993’, ‘Chpt 7: Labour flows and the Oslo
peace process’ & ‘Chpt 9: Epilogue’ in Palestinian Labour Migration to Israel.
New York: Routledge. 31-51, 141-164, 194-204.
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Said, E. 2003. The end of the peace process: Oslo and after. New York:
Vintage Books. 3-43; 351-384.
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Weizman, E. 2007. ‘Settlements: Battle for the Hilltops & Settlements: Optical
Urbanism’ in Hollow Land: Israel’s architecture of occupation. New York:
Verso. 87-138.
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Roy, S. 2003. ‘Chpt 16: Ending the Palestinian Economy’, ‘Chpt 17: Hamas and
the transformation(s) of political Islam in Palestine’ & ‘Chpt 18: A Dubai on
the Mediterranean’ in Failing Peace: Gaza and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Ann Arbor: Pluto Press. 250-321.
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Gregory, D. 2003. ‘Defiled Cities’ Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography 24:
307 – 326. (Online)
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Hammami, R. 2004. ‘On the importance of thugs: the moral economy of a
checkpoint’ Middle East Report 231: 26-34. (Online)
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Harker, C. 2009. ‘Student im/mobility in Birzeit, Palestine’ Mobilities
forthcoming. (Available from instructor).
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Makdisi, S. 2008. ‘Chpt 1: Outsides’ in Palestine Inside Out: An everyday
occupation. New York: Norton. 15-95.
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Lebanon
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Deeb, L. 2006. ‘Chpt 3: The visibility of religion in daily life’ & ‘Chpt 6: Public
Piety as Women’s Jihad’, in An Enchanted Modern: Gender and Public Piety
in Shi’i Lebanon. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 99-128, 204-219.
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El Khazen, F. 2000. The breakdown of the state in Lebanon: 1967-76. London: IB
Tauris.
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Firro, K. 2003. Inventing Lebanon. Nationalism and the state under the mandate.
London: I.B. Tauris.
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Fisk, R. 2002. Pity the Nation (4th ed.) New York: Nation Books. ‘Chpt 3: The
Pied Piper of Damascus’& ‘Chpt 11: Terrorists’.
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Harb, M. 2000. ‘Postwar Beirut: resources, negotiations and contestations in the
Elyssar project’. The Arab World Geographer 3 (4): 272-288.
[Reprinted in S. Shami (ed.) Capital Cities: Ethnographies of Urban Governance
in the Middle East. Toronto: Toronto University Press, p.111-133.]
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Harb M. 2007. ‘Deconstructing Hezbollah and its Suburb’. Middle East
Report 242: 12-17. (From instructor)
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Harik, J. 2004. Hizbollah: The changing face of terrorism. New York: I.B. Tauris.
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Khalaf, S. 2006. Heart of Beirut: reclaiming the Bourj. London: Saqi.
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Khalaf, S. 2002. Civil and uncivil violence in Lebanon. New York: Columbia
University Press.
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Makdisi, S. 1997. ‘Laying claim to Beirut: urban narrative and spatial identity in
the Age of Solidere’. Critical Inquiry 23 (3): 661-705. (Online)
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Makdisi, U. 2000. The culture of sectarianism: community, history, and violence
in Nineteenth-century Ottoman Lebanon. Berkeley: University of California
Press.
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Nagel, C. 2002. ‘Reconstructing space, re-creating memory: sectarian politics
and urban developement in post-war Beirut’. Political Geography 21: 717725. (Online)
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Ramadan, A. 2008. ‘The guests’ guests: Palestinian refugees, Lebanese civilians,
and the war of 2006’. Antipode 40 (4): 658-677. (Online)
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Rowayheb, M.G. 2006. ‘Lebanese militias: a new perspective’. Middle Eastern
Studies 42 (2): 303-318. (Online)
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
Sayigh, R. 1994. Too many enemies. London. Zed Books.
Iraq

Herring, E. & Rangwala, G. 2005. ‘Iraq, imperialism and global governance’.
Third World Quarterly 26: 667-83. (Online)

Fontan, V. 2006. ‘Polarization between occupier and occupied in postSaddam Iraq: colonial humiliation and the formation of political violence’.
Terrorism and Political Violence 18: 217-238. (March 24th reading) (Online)

Hyndman, J. 2007. ‘Feminist Geopolitics revisited: body counts in Iraq’. The
Professional Geographer 59(1): 35-46. (Online)

Tripp, C. 2007. A History of Iraq (3rd ed.) New York: Cambridge University
Press. 186-245.
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Hiro, D. 1992. Desert Shield to Desert Storm. London: Harper Collins. Chpt
12: Conclusions. 426-455.
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Gregory, D. 2004. ‘Editorial: The angel of Iraq’. Environment and Planning D:
Society & Space 22: 317-324. (Online)
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Butler, J. 2007. ‘Torture and the ethics of photograph’. Environment and
Planning D: Society & Space 24: 951-966. (Online)
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Halliday, D. 1999. ‘The impact of US sanctions on the people of Iraq’. Journal of
Palestine Studies 28 (2): 29-37. (Online)

Luke, T. 2007. ‘Unbundling the state: Iraq and the ‘recontainerization’ of rule,
production, and identity’. Environment and Planning A 39: 1564-1581. (Online)

Allawi, A. 2007. The Occupation of Iraq. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Dodge, T. 2006. ‘Iraq: the contradictions of exogenous state building in
historical perspective’. Third World Quarterly 27 (1): 187-200. (Online)
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Dodge, T. 2005. ‘Iraq transitions: from regime change to state collapse’. Third
World Quarterly 26 (4-5): 705-721. (Online)

Le Billion, P. 2005. ‘Corruption, Reconstruction and Oil Governance in
Iraq’. Third World Quarterly 26 (4-5): 685-703. (Online)
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Al Ali, N. 2005. ‘Reconstructing Gender: Iraqi women between dictatorship, war,
sanctions and occupation’. Third World Quarterly 26 (4-5): 739-758. (Online)
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