New York University
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Politics
Fall 2010
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS of THE MIDDLE EAST V53.0760
Silver Building Room 713
Ayda Erbal
Wilf Family Department of Politics
19 West 4th St. - Room 403
Email: ayda@nyu.edu
T/R 2 - 3 pm or by appointment.
Grading Assistant : Fatima-Zahra Belkady @ fzb200@nyu.edu & TBA grader -office
hours by appointment.
Course Description:
IPME is intended as an advanced level introductory course on selected issues related to
the modern history and politics of the region between Atlantic Ocean and Central Asia,
commonly known as the “Middle East”. The course will cover the period from the end of
19th century to the present and will examine selected aspects of politics in the “Middle
East”. These aspects include but are not limited to state formation; state-society relations;
ideologies and transnationalism; “Islamist” politics; political economy; political
liberalization and the persistence/evolution of authoritarianism; Arab-Israeli-Palestinian
conflict and some selected current events.
Requirements:
Students are required to attend each class and to read the syllabus selections assigned for
each class session on time since the lectures will serve merely as outlines for the
readings. Students are also responsible for ALL readings on the syllabus, regardless of
whether or not we cover all of the assigned readings. If you miss class, YOU are
responsible for finding out what you missed, including handouts, announcements, etc.
Students are encouraged to raise important issues in class and to make comments on the
readings. Class participation will be worth 15% of your overall grade. Students will
write a short paper (6 pages max) on the coverage of a specific recent event comparing an
American and a non-American news source: %20 of the grade.
Students will also be given a mid-term and a final exam. The midterm and final will be
in-class, composed of identifications and essays. The mid-term is worth 25% and the
final exam is non-cumulative and worth 40%. The exams will require students to be
able to assess and critique the various arguments presented by the authors. As such,
Tentative Syllabus - Last revised August 30, 2010
students are encouraged to take notes on the readings since they are dense and long. You
are expected to know which author says what so make sure you take notes accordingly.
Class Attendance and Participation
The objective of IPME is to create an open environment in which students can further
and challenge their knowledge through readings and discussion. Consequently, your
participation is essential. But participation does not mean to inundate the class with some
random Thomas Friedman or NYT article –you have to participate having done the
readings.
Because of the emphasis on participation, attendance is essential. Your attendance grade
will decrease automatically if you miss or fail in more than one of the random exams.
Readings
You will be asked to carefully read anywhere from 100-150 pages a week (occasionally
more or less). Reading is an integral element of this course and will constitute a regular
basis of class discussion. It complements and does not duplicate what we cover in class.
If you think you will not be able to read weekly assignments and discuss them in
class, please do not take the course.
Students are also responsible for reading news on the Middle East daily. At times, we
will focus on issues in the news, depending on their relevance to our course readings. For
updates and changes to the syllabus, please check blackboard regularly.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, you should be able to
•
identify and critique common stereotypes about the nature of state and society in
the Middle East, and where necessary, replace these stereotypes with more
nuanced understandings
•
speak and write knowledgeably about different types of leaders, ideological
orientations, states and social relations in the Middle East
•
identify a variety of social groups that influence political processes in various
ways, even in non-democratic contexts.
Posit and analyze several different theories about imperial involvement, coreperiphery relations and its implications for contemporary politics and policies.
REQUIRED READINGS
•
Textbooks:
Please purchase the latest editions of the following texts. They will be available at NYU
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Tentative Syllabus - Last revised August 30, 2010
Bookstore, but used copied can be purchased for a good price on amazon.com, half.com
or abebooks.com. Students will be asked to bring texts to class during some lectures for
analysis.
Textbooks for the class are as follows:
Kamrava, Mehran. 2005. The Modern Middle East: A Political History Since the First
World War, Los Angeles: University of California Press.
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/nyulibrary/Doc?id=10074089
(Library has full electronic access to the title, you need to install a small program
(Ebrary) through library to view the book online, highlight and take notes, you need to be
on an NYU computer or change your proxy settings to be able to view the book)
Smith, Charles. Palestine and Arab Israeli Conflict, Bedford-St. Martin’s, 7th edition
Course pack:
All readings that are not part of a required book will be posted online @ Blackboard
under course documents.
Online Articles:
Please note that there will be selected articles online. Please follow the links to read the
articles online. If the link is unavailable, look up the article by the full citation listed on
the syllabus.
Remote Access to NYU Libraries and Online Sources
Students can gain access to NYU research engines through NYU Home. Log in to your
account and follow the “research” link. If NYU Home is down, you can still access the
library information sources from a computer system attached to NYU’s network,
NYUNET. If you would like to access NYU libraries and some of the online journals
from a remote area (like home), you will need to configure your internet browser to
permit full access from an external connection using NYU’s proxy server. See attachment
below for detailed instructions on how to do this. It is easy. If you need assistance,
contact ITS by phone at (212) 998-3333 or by email at its.clientservices@nyu.edu
Go to:
http://www.nyu.edu/its/faq/connecting/proxy.html
Fair warning of various sorts
1- This class is not a general course on Middle East politics. Neither it is a course on
Islam or a general forum for policy debate (i.e. concerning the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq
or the Palestinian-Israeli conflict). Although we will touch on these topics, please do not
take the class if you expect to spend significant time on them.
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Tentative Syllabus - Last revised August 30, 2010
2- This course will involve reading and discussion on topics many people may feel very
strongly about. While there will be multiple opportunities for you to express your ideas
and defend your views, it is expected that discussion will always be civil, respectful of
the facts, and beliefs of others, and pertinent to the day’s discussion. Our goal in this
class is to create an open environment in which we can learn from one another, extend
our knowledge, and challenge ourselves. In order for this to happen, everyone in the class
needs to feel safe contributing his or her views. Racist, sexist, and/or other generally
degrading remarks towards religious groups, ethnic/national groups, and anyone else will
not be tolerated.
3- Other basics
* Try not to fall asleep in class (if you’re really in trouble, feel free to stand up and
stretch).
* Please don’t read newspapers, books, or use headphones or other electronic devices in
class. You may use computers to take notes at my discretion; if they are being used (or
seem to be being used) for anything other than this, or if they become distracting, I will
ask you to turn them off.
* PLEASE TURN OFF CELL PHONES!
* Eating and drinking is fine, but try not to bring anything too messy or too smelly.
* If you have a physical, perceptual, or learning disability, please contact the NYU
Center for Students with Disabilities @ http://www.nyu.edu/osl/csd/ and inform me as
soon as possible so we can provide appropriate accommodation.
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Tentative Syllabus - Last revised August 30, 2010
Middle East News Sources:
Arabic News.com http://www.arabicnews.com Arab world news portal.
Al-Bab.com http://www.al-bab.com/ provides background information on the Arab world
and
links to other sources.
Al-Jazeera News, http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage
BBC Online Middle East coverage:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/middle_east/default.stm
Haaretz, http://www.haaretz.com
Jerusalem Post, http://www.jpost.com/
The Independent Middle East coverage
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/
Middle East International http://meionline.com/front.html online edition
Middle East Report http://www.merip.org/mer/middle_east_report.html
New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/pages/world/middleeast/index.html
Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com
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Tentative Syllabus - Last revised August 30, 2010
International Politics of the Middle East
Course Schedule
Week One – Introduction to the Course – Why Study Middle East, Why
Now?
Introduction, Overview – Research Problems, Issues of Boundaries
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Introduction to the class, overview and opening remarks
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Gelvin, James L. 2005. The modern Middle East: A history. New York: Oxford
University Press, Introduction.
Lisa Anderson, “Scholarship, Policy, Debate and Conflict: Why We Study the Middle
East and Why It Matters,” Middle East Studies Association Bulletin, Vol. 38, No. 1
(Summer 2004)
http://fp.arizona.edu/mesassoc/Bulletin/Pres%20Addresses/Anderson.htm
Roderic H. Davison, “Where is the Middle East?” Foreign Affairs, Vol. 38, p. 665 -675.
July 1960.
http://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/fora38&id=675&collection=journa
ls
Nikki R. Keddie, “Is There a Middle East?” International Journal of Middle East Studies,
Vol. 4, No. 3, (Jul., 1973), pp. 255-271 http://www.jstor.org/stable/162159
Week Two –Narratives, Politics- Contemporary Issues
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Lockman, Zachary. 2004. Contending visions of the Middle East: the history and politics
of Orientalism. New York: Cambridge University Press, p. 182-241.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
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Tentative Syllabus - Last revised August 30, 2010
Katel, Peter. 2007. “Middle East Tensions” in Global Issues: Selections from CQ
Researcher. Washingon, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press, p. 91-113
Milton-Edwards, Beverly. 2006. Contemporary Politics in the Middle East (2nd ed).
Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. Selections on Blackboard
Week Three –Emergence of the “Middle Eastern” State System -From
Empire to Republic, State Systems & Identities
Tuesday, September 21st, 2010
Akcam, Taner. 2006. A Shameful Act. Selections –check blackboard
Kamrava, Mehran. 2005. The modern Middle East: a political history since the First
World War. Berkeley: University of California Press, p. 1-66.
Thursday, September 23rd, 2010
Hinnebusch, Raymond. 2003. International Politics of the Middle East. Manchester,
GBR: Manchester University Press, pp. 1-21, 54-72.
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/nyulibrary/Doc?id=10075718
Week Four – State Systems Identities Continued & Intro to Islam &
Politics in the MENA region –Interwar Years
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
Kamrava, Mehran. 2005. The modern Middle East: a political history since the First
World War. Berkeley: University of California Press, p. 67-106, skim 107-137.
Esposito, John L. 1998. Islam and Politics. 4th ed. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University
Press, p. 62-78.
Thursday, September 30th, 2010
Hinnebusch, Raymond. 2003. International Politics of the Middle East. Manchester,
GBR: Manchester University Press, pp. 73-90
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/nyulibrary/Doc?id=10075718
Cleveland, William. A History of Modern Middle East, 175-192
Week Five – End of Islamic Empire? Legacies of Colonialism, Interwar
Era - continued
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Tentative Syllabus - Last revised August 30, 2010
Tuesday, October 5th, 2010
Cleveland, William. A History of Modern Middle East, 193-237
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=5172D85D6DBC2F53&sort_field
=added
Thursday, October 7th, 2010
Esposito, John L. 1998. Islam and politics. 4th ed. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University
Press, p. 136-157.
Pan Arabism & Pan Islamism Reading, TBD
Week Six – Interwar Era continued – Intro to Palestine, Arab- Israeli
conflict
Tuesday, October 12th, 2010
Hinnebusch, Raymond. 2003. International Politics of the Middle East. Manchester,
GBR: Manchester University Press, pp. 90-120
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/nyulibrary/Doc?id=10075718
Thursday, October 14th, 2010
Introduction to Arab-Israeli Conflict
Week Seven –Arab-Israeli conflict -continued
Tuesday, October 19th, 2010
Smith, Charles. Palestine and Arab Israeli Conflict. Chapters 3, 4
Thursday, October 21st, 2010
Smith, Charles. Palestine and Arab Israeli Conflict. Chapters 5, 6
Week Eight –Arab-Israeli Conflict –continued
Tuesday, October 26th, 2010
Smith, Charles. Palestine and Arab Israeli Conflict. Chapters 7, 8
Thursday, October 28th, 2010
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Tentative Syllabus - Last revised August 30, 2010
Smith, Charles. Palestine and Arab Israeli Conflict. Chapters 9, 10
Nimni, Ephraim (ed). 2003. The Challenge of Post Zionism. Chapters 4 & 5.
Week Nine – Midterm & Documentaries
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
Midterm Exam
Thursday, November 4th, 2010
PBS Frontline, 2005, Israel’s Next War, directed by Dan Setton
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/israel/view/
PBS Frontline, 2006, From the Screen: Gaza/West Bank, inside Hamas
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/palestine503/video_index.html
Week Ten – Cold War, Areas of Influence. Do they hate us?
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
Gelvin, James. 2005. p. 257-267.
Kamrava, Mehran. 2005. p. 169-212
Rosemary Hollis, “Europe in the Middle East” in Louise L'Estrange Fawcett. 2005.
International Relations of the Middle East. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 307326.
Thursday, November 11th, 2010 –bring the reading to the classroom
Mamdani, Mahmood. 2004. Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the
Roots of Terror. 1st ed. New York: Pantheon Books, p. 119-177.
Week Eleven – Oil Politics, Oil: Curse or Blessing?
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010
Karl, Terry Lynn. 1997. The paradox of plenty: oil booms and petro-states. Berkeley:
University of California Press, chapters: 1.
Mitchell, Timothy, 1955-. 2002. "McJihad: Islam in the U.S. Global Order." Social Text
20 (4, [73]): 1-18 http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/social_text/v020/20.4mitchell.pdf
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Tentative Syllabus - Last revised August 30, 2010
Thursday, November 18th, 2010
Ross, M. L. 2001. "Does Oil Hinder Democracy?" World Politics 53 (3): 325,+
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/world_politics/v053/53.3ross.pdf
Mitchell, Timothy. “Carbon Democracy” (Blackboard)
Week Twelve – Oil & Democratization
Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010
Documentary – A crude awakening [videorecording] : the oil crash / a film by Basil
Gelpke & Ray McCormack ; written, produced and directed by Basil Gelpke & Ray
McCormack ; produced by Lava Productions AG.
Thursday, November 25th, 2010 – Thanksgiving – NO CLASSES
Week Thirteen – Liberalization? Democratization?
Does Political Culture Have an effect on Democratization?
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010
Mark Tessler, “Islam and Democracy in the Middle East: The Impact of Religious
Orientations on Attitudes Toward Democracy In Four Arab Countries,” Comparative
Politics,
34,
3
(April
2002),
at
http://polisci.lsa.umich.edu/documents/islamAndDemocracy.pdf
Anderson, Lisa, “Democracy in the Arab World: A Critique of the Political Culture
Approach,” in Rex Brynen, Bahgat Korany, and Paul Noble. 1995. Political
liberalization and democratization in the Arab world. Boulder, Colo.: Lynne Rienner
Publishers, p. 77-92.
Kamrava. 257-282
Thursday, December 2nd, 2010
Kamrava. 331-358
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Tentative Syllabus - Last revised August 30, 2010
Norton, Augustus, “The Puzzle of Political Reform in the Middle East,” in Louise
L'Estrange Fawcett. 2005. International relations of the Middle East. New York: Oxford
University Press, p. 131-148.
Week Fourteen –Globalization and the Future of the Middle East
Puzzle of Political Reform and Islamisms
Tuesday, December 7th, 2010
Esposito, John L. 1998. Islam and politics. 4th ed. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University
Press, p. 136-157.
Bin Laden, Osama. 2005. Messages to the World. Selections
Katel, Peter. 2007. “Global Jihad” in Global Issues: Selections from CQ Researcher.
Washingon, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press, p. 1-24.
Thursday, December 9th, 2010
Control Room - Documentary
Week Fifteen – Contemporary Cases
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010
Jeremy Jones, 2007. Negotiating Change: The New Politics of the Middle East, chapters
on Egypt and Turkey.
FINAL EXAM –Same location as class
Tuesday 12/23
12:00PM-1:50PM
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