POS 354: Power and Politics in the Middle East
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Department of Political Science and Public Administration
POS 354-01: Power and Politics in the Middle East
Fall 2010
TR 12:30-1:45
Instructor: Dr. David Faris
Office: AUD 759
Email: dfaris@roosevelt.edu
Office Phone: 312-341-3512
Office Hours: Tuesdays 2:00-4:00, Thursdays 11:00-12:00 and by appointment
Course Description:
This course introduces the formal and informal institutions, histories, cultures, and economic systems of
the contemporary Middle East. Students will weigh in on the most controversial and difficult questions
about politics in the Middle East, including the effect of oil wealth on domestic institutions in the Gulf,
the role of political Islam in Algeria, Egypt, and Turkey, the persistence of regional authoritarianism, and
the varieties of democratic practice in Lebanon, Israel, and Iraq. By demystifying politics in the Middle
East, the course seeks to build an understanding of the region and its diverse inhabitants, and to help
foster critical dialogue across cultures. This is not a course primarily about the Arab-Israeli conflict or
about the region’s international politics, but rather about the domestic politics of the states of the
Middle East. We will be looking at the politics of individual states in the region in the context of different
course themes. For example, when we read about Saudi Arabia, we will be considering questions of
Islam and politics. When we study Jordan, we will be considering questions about different institutional
varieties of authoritarianism. At all times we will seek to relate our study of particular country or
countries to broader questions that we will be struggling with over the course of the semester.
Goals and Philosophy:
The course is not designed to force you to memorize facts, figures and dates but rather to make
you conversant in the major political questions and themes that characterize public debate about the
Middle East. You will not just understand but be fluent in the kinds of questions policymakers, scholars,
and opinion-leaders tackle on a daily basis. More than anything, this course is designed to equip you
with the tools you need to become involved, as active citizens, in the making of Middle East policy. I
POS 354: Power and Politics in the Middle East
believe in question-oriented teaching. To that end we will be defining the questions we will be tackling
very early on in the semester. I will not be providing or transmitting “answers” to you but rather building
an environment where we can safely and vigorously brainstorm, collaborate and engage in critical
thinking. Because we are attempting to cover roughly two dozen countries, some states will receive
more attention than others. If you feel a country you are interested in is being slighted, I highly
encourage you to take that country on as a research project or bring to my attention your desire to
devote more focused study to that country or questions surrounding it. This is not a lecture-only course.
On the contrary, to help develop your skills as critical thinkers, we will be engaging in a variety of
collaborative and group activities in the classroom, designed to solve problems and offer answers to the
toughest questions facing those who consider questions of politics and policy.
Required Texts:
The following texts are available for purchase in the university bookstore.
Ajami, Fouad. The Dream Palace of the Arabs: A Generation’s Odyssey. Vintage Books, 1999.
Gelvin, James L. The Modern Middle East: A History. Oxford University Press, 2008, 2nd Edition.
Long, David E., Reich, Bernard, and Mark Gasiorowski, eds., The Government and Politics of the Middle
East and North Africa, 6th Edition. Westview Press, 2011.
Lust-Okar, Ellen and Saloua Zerhouni. Political Participation in the Middle East. Lynne Reiner Publishers,
2008.
Other readings will be posted to Blackboard well in advance of class.
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course.
Attendance and Punctuality:
Because of the frequency of working groups, interactive activities and plenary sessions, your
presence in class is essential to the creation and maintenance of a collaborative learning environment.
You may miss three classes, excused or unexcused. Any further absences will severely impact your final
class participation grade, as will patterns of lateness.
Assignments
Response Papers: Each Thursday students will write a one-paragraph (150-300 word) response to the
readings for that week.
Mid-term Exam: There will be one exam, a take-home midterm, which will be distributed in class on
October 21st.
Map Quiz: On Thursday, September 15th there will be a map quiz where students identify the main
political and geographic features of the region.
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POS 354: Power and Politics in the Middle East
Book Review: For extra credit, students may review Fouad Ajami’s The Dream Palace of the Arabs.
Reviews are due on November 11th and should be between 3 and 5 typed single-spaced pages. I strongly
recommend that you begin reading this book immediately.
Term Paper: Each student will write a 10-12 page term paper, addressing course themes in a country or
group of countries from your working group. This paper serves as your final exam. A detailed assignment
will be distributed next month.
Working Groups:
We will be forming 6 sub-regional working groups. The working groups will not require
collaboration outside of class, but will be used in class to brainstorm ideas and problems relevant to
your particular region, to workshop paper ideas, and to discuss the relevance of course themes relevant
to your region. Working groups will occasionally present their findings in plenary sessions in which the
class will come together as a group to engage in extended discussion. Participation in working groups is
mandatory and forms part of your class participation grade. As part of your working group participation,
you are expected to follow the most recent political news in at least one country of your designated
region – through both the BBC’s World News section and one flagship local English newspaper. A full list
of such newspapers is available through Blackboard. Your regional working group will also be at least
partially the subject of your term paper. Students will have the opportunity to evaluate the
contributions of their fellow working group members. Finally, the members of each working group will
be expected to lead two class discussions – those dates are indicated in the syllabus below. More details
about these working groups will follow during their formation next week.
Ignite Presentations:
Each student will be required to deliver a 5-minute “Ignite” presentation on their term paper
research. A detailed assignment will be distributed in October.
Grading
Note: I do not believe in the efficacy of assigning numbers to evaluate your performance in this
course. Because I believe in the cumulative value of the skills and concepts you will be using over the
course of the semester, more weight is given to assignments in the second half of the semester. I
reserve the right to adjust grades on the margin based on a shared understanding of your contribution
to the group learning environment.
Mid-term 25%
Term paper: 30%
Map Quiz: 10%
Presentations: 10%
Participation: 15%
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POS 354: Power and Politics in the Middle East
Response Papers: 10%
Note Pt. II: Participation is not just about how many times you raise your hand in class. It is also about
the commitment you show to achieving our shared goals, your work in groups, and your physical
presence in class. You may check with me at any time to get a sense of how your participation grade is
shaping up.
The Working Groups will be:
1) North Africa (Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya)
2) Northeast Africa (Egypt, Sudan)
3) The Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan)
4) Israel and the Territories (Israel/Palestine)
5) The Central Middle East (Turkey, Iran, Iraq)
6) The Gulf States (the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen, Oman, Kuwait)
University Policy on Absence to Observe Religious Holidays:
Roosevelt University respects the rights of students to observe major religious holidays and will
make accommodations, upon request, for such observances. Students who wish to observe religious
holidays must inform their instructors in writing within the first two weeks of the semester of their
intent to observe the holiday so that alternative arrangements convenient to both students and faculty
can be made at the earliest opportunity. See the student handbook for further details.
Class Schedule
Week 1: THE STUDY OF THE MIDDLE EAST
Tuesday August 31st
In class: Logistics and Introductions
Read: Thursday September 2nd
In class: Introduction to the Middle East; formation of regional working groups
Read: Lisa Anderson. “Scholarship, Policy, Debate, and Conflict: Why We Study the Middle East and Why
It Matters,” MESA Annual Address, 2003; Long, Reich and Gasiorowski, The Government and Politics of
the Middle East, 2-15.
Week 2: THE EMERGENCE OF THE MODERN MIDDLE EAST
Tuesday September 6th
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POS 354: Power and Politics in the Middle East
In-class: Lecture “Colonialism and After”;
Read: James Gelvin, A History of the Modern Middle East 9-59
Thursday, September 8th
In-class: Working Groups; Discussion Leaders: Israel and the Territories Group
Read: Gelvin, 73-99, 171-205.
Week 3: ISLAM AND POLITICS
Tuesday September 13th
In-class: Lecture: “The Politics of Islam”
Read: 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, no. 3 (2002): 337-354;
James Traub, “Islamic Democrats?” New York Times Magazine (April 29, 2007): 44-49.
Thursday September 15th
In-class: Collaborative exercise; Discussion Leaders: Gulf States Group
Read: Long, Reich and Gasiorowski, “Saudi Arabia” (91-122); Gwenn Okruhlik, “Networks of Dissent:
Islamism and Reform in Saudi Arabia,” Current History (January 2002): 22-28.
Week 4: THE CHALLENGE OF RADICAL ISLAM
Tuesday September 20th
In-class: Lecture “The Rise and Fall of Radical Islam”
Read: Hendrik Kraetzschmar; Francesco Cavatorta , “Bullets over ballots: Islamist groups, the state and
electoral violence in Egypt and Morocco.” Democratization 17(2)
Thursday September 22nd
In-class: Working groups; Discussion Leaders: North Africa Group
Read: Long, Reich and Gasiorowksi Chapter 16, “Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria” (479-507);
Takeyh, R. “Islamism in Algeria: Between hope and agony.” Middle East Policy 10/2 (Summer 2003):
62-75.;
Week 5: OIL AND THE RENTIER STATE
Tuesday September 27th
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POS 354: Power and Politics in the Middle East
In-class: Lecture: “The Rentier State”; Working groups
Read: Gelvin, 247-256; Michael Ross “Does Oil Hinder Democracy?” World Politics 53(3), April 2001.
Thursday September 29th
In-class: Collaborative exercise on authoritarianism; Discussion Leaders: Gulf States Group
Read: Long, Reich and Gasiorowski, “Eastern Arabian States” (161-204)
Week 6: POLITICAL ECONOMY AND THE NEW IRAQ
Tuesday October 5th
In-class: Lecture “Political Economy and the Middle East”
Read: Selections from Richards and Waterbury A Political Economy of the Middle East.
Thursday October 7th
In-class: Working groups; Discussion Leaders: Northeast Africa Group
Read: Long, Reich and Gasiorowski, “Iraq.” Byman, Daniel. “Constructing a Democratic Iraq: Challenges
and Opportunities.” International Security. Hilterman, Joost. “The Impasse.” New York Review of Books,
August 19th, 2010.
Week 7: SINGLE-PARTY AUTHORITARIANISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Tuesday, October 12th
In-class: Lecture “The Rise of Authoritarianism”
Read: Gelvin 231-246. Long, Reich and Gasiorowksi, Chapter 17 “Tunisia” (509-535)
Thursday October 14th
In-class: Collaborative exercise; Discussion Leaders: Levant Group
Read: , Reich and Gasiorowski, “Syria” (267-295)
Week 8: MONARCHICAL AUTHORITARIANISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Tuesday October 19th
In-Class: Lecture “Kings and Kingdoms”
Read: Russell E. Lucas, “Monarchical Authoritarianism: Survival and Political Liberalization in a Middle
Eastern Regime Type.” International Journal of Middle East Studies (2004), 36:1:103-119. {BB}
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POS 354: Power and Politics in the Middle East
Thursday October 21st
In-class: Working Groups; Discussion Leaders: Levant Group
Read: Long, Reich and Gasiorowski Chapter 10 “Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan”
Week 9: COMPETITIVE AUTHORITARIANISM
Tuesday, October 21st
In-class: Lecture “Façade Democracy”; Distribute Mid-term
Read: Shehata, Samer. “Inside an Egyptian Parliamentary Campaign” and Ellen Lust-Okar, “Jordanian
Elections” in Lust-Okar and Zerhouni eds. Political Participation in the Middle East; Long, Reich and
Gasiorowski, “Egypt” 397-421
Thursday October 28th
In-class: Working groups; Quiz #4
Read: Remnick, David. “Going Nowhere.” The New Yorker. July 12th, 2004. {BB}
Due: Take-home Midterm
Week 10: CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Tuesday November 2nd
In-class: Lecture “What is Civil Society?”
Read: Laila Alhamad, “Formal and Informal Venues of Engagement” in Lust-Okar and Zerhouni eds.,
Political Participation in the Middle East.
Thursday November 4th
In-class: Working Groups: Discussion Leaders: North Africa Group
Read: Driss Maghraoui, “The Dynamics of Civil Society in Morocco” ” in Lust-Okar and Zerhouni eds.,
Political Participation in the Middle East; Long, Reich and Gasiorowski Chapter 15 “Kingdom of Morocco”
(447-477).
Due: Book Reviews
Week 12: Iran
Tuesday November 9th
In-class: Lecture “From Social Revolution to Green Revolution”
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POS 354: Power and Politics in the Middle East
Read: Long, Reich and Gasiorowski “Iran”
Thursday November 11th
In-class: Working groups; Discussion Leaders: Central Middle East Group
Read: “Intra-Elite Struggles in Iranian Elections” in Lust-Okar and Zerhouni eds., Political Participation in
the Middle East.
Week 13: DEMOCRACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Tuesday, November 16th
In-class: Lecture: Democracies of the Middle East
Read: Long, Reich and Gasiorowksi “Israel”
Thursday, November 18th
In-class: Film Screening: West Beirut
Read: Long, Reich and Gasiorowski “Lebanon”
Week 14: THE STRUGGLE FOR VOICE: WOMEN, YOUTH AND THE SEARCH FOR VOICE
Tuesday November 30th
In-class: Lecture “Voice in the Middle East”
Read: Asef Bayat, “The Art of Presence” and “Reclaiming Youthfulness” from Life As Politics: How
Ordinary People Change the Middle East. {BB}; Joel Beinin and Hossam El-Hamalawy, “Egyptian Textile
Workers Confront the New Economic Order” Middle East Report, March 25th, 2007. {BB}
Thursday December 2nd
In-class: Ignite Presentations; Working groups; Discussion Leaders: Central Middle East Group
Read: Faris, David “(Amplified) Voices for the Voiceless” Arab Media & Society, Summer 2010. {BB} ;
“Women and Gender in Middle East Studies: Trends, Prospects, Challenges.” Middle East Report No. 205
(27-29).
Week 14: Presentations
Tuesday December 7th
In-class: Ignite presentations
Thursday December 9th
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POS 354: Power and Politics in the Middle East
In-class: Conclusions and Farewell
Due: Final Papers
Due: Extra-Credit Book Reviews
Important Notes:
*Students with disabilities may request special accommodations. Students must let me know within the
first two weeks of the semester if this is the case, and they also must contact Nancy Litke in the
Academic Success Center (312-384-3810).
*Students are required to abide by the University’s Code of Student Conduct. Students who plagiarize or
cheat will receive a zero for the assignment and will be referred to the university for disciplinary action.
*Cell phones, mp3 players and other personal electronic devices must be switched off during class. You
may use your laptop for notetaking, but students using their laptops for personal communication during
class will be asked to stop.
*There is no eating during class. You may bring drinks with lids or caps.
*Enrolling in this course constitutes acceptance of these policies. I reserve the right to alter policies and
scheduling on the syllabus and will give advance notice to students of any changes.
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