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POLS410 Politics in the Middle East
Full Course Title:
Politics in the Middle East
Course Code:
POLS410
Course Level/BiH cycle:
I cycle
ECTS credit value:
6
Student work-load:
(Table with hours for: Lectures; Exercise; Other; Individual learning)
For the whole semester:
Length:
Faculty/School/Department:
Lectures
Presentation
Screening,
quiz
Written
Assignments
Individual
learning
TOTAL
45
10
15
20
60
150
Spring 2014
FASS
Social and Political Sciences
Course leader:
Assist. Prof. Dr. Joseph Kaminski
Contact details:
Office:
F2.20
e-mail:
Office hours:
Anytime
Phone:
jkaminski@ius.edu.ba
Site:
Lectures: IUS main campus building
Host Study Program:
International Relations
Course status:
Elective for other study programs
Pre-requisites:
None
Access restrictions:
I cycle students only
Assessment:
Attendance, written assignments, screenings, exams, presentations, final paper.
Date validated:
11 February, 2015
Course aims:
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Learning outcomes:
Indicative syllabus content:
On successful completion of this course IUS student will be able to:
1.
To identify major concepts, definitions and terms related to modern Middle Eastern
Politics
2.
To develop critical and analytical skills in analyzing modern Middle Eastern Politics
3.
To understand the main factors that drive authoritarianism in the Middle East
4.
To explain from an historical perspective the relationship between colonialism, western
imperialism, and economic and political failing in the Middle East.
5.
To understand developing trends in the Middle East and the role of non-state actors and
terrorist organizations.
This course will consist of lectures on that provide an overview of modern Middle Eastern Politics. It
will first provide a detailed historical analysis outlining the conditions that shape the formation and
consolidation of authoritarian rule in modern Middle Eastern states. We will explore the political
economy of the region, Islamic Politics, state-society relations, and other topics as probable
explanatory variables to authoritarian persistence. Through careful examination of case studies,
the course will look at the impact and role of the Arab Spring Uprisings.
Learning delivery:
This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods such as lecturing, written
assignments, presentations, peer presentation analyses, essays, group debates, screenings, pop
quiz. Students have two hours for lectures and one hour for presentations, debates, screenings and
class discussions every week. Students are expected to attend the classes, do the reading
assignments and participate in class discussions and student debates. Students are also expected to
submit one response paper in addition to one midterm and a final exam. Consultations with the
course instructor during the office hours and by appointment are encouraged.
Assessment Rationale:
Final exam is given at the end and will cover all the course material and class discussions. In order to
attract the attention of the students into the course during the semester, class debates among
students will be organized on weekly basis in addition to one pop quiz, one midterm and one written
assignment. Quiz and midterm will be assessed based on the course material covered until the date.
These exams will encourage the students to study harder during the semester time.
Assessment Weighting:
Attendance, participation and quizzes:
15%
Written Assignment: 25%
Essential Reading:
Midterm:
30%
Final exam:
30%
Esposito, John. Islam and Politics (4th edition)
Cleveland, William, History of the Modern Middle East (2nd Edition)
The Contemporary Middle East, Westview Press, 2006
Richards, Alan and Waterbury, John. A political Economy of the Middle East
Gelvin, James, The Arab Uprisings: What Everyone Needs to Know, 2012
Internet web reference:
Important notes:
Plagiarism policy
This course has a strict plagiarism policy. Students who plagiarize will earn a zero on the
assignment and may fail the course. Serious cases of intentional plagiarism (copying
passages or entire papers from the Internet) can result in failing the course. For quoting
and paraphrasing other people’s works, please consult the MLA Guide.
Course policies:
Assignments: Each student should complete their assignment in accordance with the due
date. Regarding the assignments, students take help from the lecturer on office hours.
Lateness in Assignments: The due date and time for each homework assignment is
specified on the course syllabus. Late assignments will not be accepted.
Academic Integrity: Any cheating on examinations or quizzes or offering the work of
another as one's own in an assignment is regarded as a serious offence to the academic
integrity and will lead to a ZERO for the assignment grade, or serious disciplinary actions,
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including possible suspension.
Collaboration in Assignments: Students are encouraged to work together to the extent that
it helps promote a productive learning environment for all those involved. However each
student must submit his/her own work. Copied work will earn a ZERO.
Important dates:
Midterm Exam:
Written Assignment:
Final exam: Final Exam Period
Quality assurance:
IUS QA office methods, student evaluations, last class debate with students, office hour discussions,
student appeals, e-mails, direct (formal) feedback at the end of the semester by students.
Course schedule:
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Week
1
Lesson /
Date
Topics to be
covered
Class activities
Introduction to
the course
Introduction to the course,
policies and course material
Discussion of mutual
expectations and responsibilities
Screenings
Written
Readings
Assignments
No ReadingsSyllabus
Distribution
Learning objectives (After this
lesson, student will be able
to:)
1. Explain the content and the
policies of the course
2. Know how to consult the
literature for the course
3. Know the requirements of the
course
2
History PreWWI and the
Ottoman
Empire
Lecture and class discussion
and short film clip
Esposito 3-32.
Cleveland 37-102.
1. Understand the role of the
Ottoman Empire
2. Understand the relations
between Muslims, Christians,
and Jews during the Ottoman
Empire.
3. Understand the differences
and similarities between Ottoman
and Arab culture during this time.
3
European
Lecture and class discussion
Colonialism
and short film clip
and the Middle
East
Cleveland 103-132
The Contemporary
Middle East
(TCME): 1-25
1. Understand the various
colonial actors in the Middle East
and how they were similar and
different at the same time
2. Understand the idea of
imperialism
3. Understand the impact of the
Nation State on the Middle East.
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4
5
6
7
8
Arab
Nationalism
and State
Formation
Lecture and class discussion
and short film clip
TCME 27-40
Cleveland 133-170
1. Understand the idea of Arab
nationalism and how it differs
from Islamism
2 Understand the role the west
played in redrawing borders.
Britain and the
Aftermath of
WWI
Lecture and class discussion
and short film clip
Cleveland 171-237
1. Understand the shifts in
alliances following WWI
2. Understand the role of the
new Turkish state
3. Understand the role of other
regional actors in reshaping
the region
The Creation
of the State of
Israel in
Palestine
Lecture and class discussion
and short film clip
Cleveland 239-271
TCME 41-117
1 Understand the Balfour
Declaration and what it meant
2 Understand the idea of Zionism
3 Understand the role Zionist
terrorist organizations like Stern
and Irgun played in the formation
of Israel.
Cleveland 273-344
1 Understand how states
reshaped following WWII
2 Understand why certain Arab
state allied with the USSR while
other did the US.
State
Lecture and class discussion
Consolidations and short film clip
and Cold War
Politics in the
Middle East
Midterm
Week
EXAM
STUDY
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Lecture and class discussion
The
Consolidation and short film clip
of
Authoritarianis
m
Cleveland 369-421
10
Monarchical
Rule
Lecture and class discussion
and short film clip
Cleveland 451-472
TCME: 185-198.
11
Pan-Arabism
and Islamism
Lecture and class discussion
and short film clip
12
Late Economic Lecture and class discussion
Development and short film clip
in the Middle
East
1 Understand the various
arguments as to why the M.E. is
Eva Bellin, “The
so dominated by authoritarian
Robustness of
regimes
Authoritarianism in the 2 Understand the arguments
Middle East” 139-157. surrounding culture, religion and
imperialism and how they shape
bureaucratic and political
structures.
Esposito 137-260
Cleveland 423-450
Written
Assignment
1 Understand what Monarchy is.
2 Understand the House of Saud
and how it came to being
3 Understand the role monarchy
plays in establishing stability or
instability in certain regions.
1 Understand Pan-Arabism
2 Understand Islamism
3 Understand the ideas of Qutb
on Jahiliyah and modern Islam.
Richards and
Waterbury 44-69
1. Understand why the middle
east developed a different
economic model than the west
Cammett, Melani,
2. Understand the role of oil in
“Defensive Integration the GCC states
and Late Developers: 3.Understand why the US
The GCC and the
chooses to engage with certain
Arab Maghreb Union” actors in the region, while
379-402.
virtually ignoring others.
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13
The Rentier
State
Lecture and class discussion
and short film clip
Richards and
Waterbury: 71-143.
1.Understand the idea of ‘a
rentier state’
Kuran, Timur. “Why
the Middle East is
Economically
Underdeveloped:
Historical Mechanisms
of Institutional
Stagnation” 71-90
2 Understand why rentier states
are common in this part of the
world
3 Understand the role of
nepotism, cronyism, and how
these undermine modern
bureaucratic operations.
Smith, Ben, “Oil
Wealth and Regime
Survival in the
Developing World”
232-246.
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The
Lecture and class discussion
Emergence of and short film clip
Political Islam
Esposito: 260-308
TCME: 231-242
Kaminski, Joseph.
(2014). “Comparing
the Goals and
Aspirations of
Contemporary
National-Based
Islamist Movements
vs. Contemporary
Transnational-Based
Islamist Movements.”47-59.
1. Understand the idea of
political Islam
2. Understand the differences
between national and
transnational based Islamist
Movements
3. Understand the similarities
and differences between Sunni
and Shi’a Islamic political
Movements
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15
The Arab
Spring
Uprisings and
the future
Lecture and class discussion
and short film clip
Gelvin, James. “The
Arab Uprisings: What
everyone needs to
know” 1-100.
1 Understand the circumstances
that led to the Arab Spring
2 Understand some reasons why
it has not been overly successful
to this point
3 Understand the role US policy
plays in impacting these events.
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