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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PL 265"
COURSE NAME: "Politics of the Middle East"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2025
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Giulia Daga
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 6:00 PM 7:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: PL 209 OR PL 233
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
After an examination of the historical evolution of the region from the decline of the Ottoman Empire to the establishment of modern nations, the course will examine the place of Middle Eastern states in the world system, the legacy of nationalism, pan-Arabism, the birth of Israel, the Iranian Revolution, authoritarianism and democracy. The role of Islam in both international and domestic politics will be considered, with special attention given to the historical tradition of Islam as a political movement and an identity expression.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

The course integrates frontal multimodal lectures with individual and group activities. It aims to provide a broad and multidisciplinary introduction to the field of Middle East studies and to the evolution of Middle East politics from the end of WWI to the contemporary post-Arab Uprisings era.

The introductory part of the course is dedicated to introduce the students to the field of 'Middle East Studies', and at the theoretical perspectives that integrate area studies with political science and international relations. 

Then, the course will provide a historical overview of the contemporary Middle East. Particular emphasis will be placed on the creation of the 'modern' borders, the colonization and decolonization processes, the relationship with foreign powers, the impact of the Cold War, the post-Cold war phase, the drivers behind the Arab uprisings and their impact on regional and international politics.

The second part will focus on enduring regional themes that are helpful in understanding the evolution of regional politics. These include the role of natural resources (and mostly hydrocarbons) in shaping local, national, regional, and international dynamics; the role of transnational ideologies, and primarily the evolution of Arab nationalism and political Islam.

The third part seeks to delve deeper into some case studies that continue to have a strong impact on broader regional dynamics: the enduring role of the Arab-Israeli and Israeli-Palestinian conflict(s); the rise of Iran and the Arab monarchies of the Gulf in the regional and international arena; the evolving and yet continuous role of external actors (including the US, the EU, Russia, and China)

Ultimately, through this course students will be introduced to the broad characteristics of the contemporary Middle East, addressing the fluidity of alliance frameworks in the region and their relationship with extra-regional developments and challenges as well as addressing the interplay between foreign policy and domestic politics among regional states in the Middle East.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
With this course, it is my hope that students will be able to master and name the basic political and social dynamics of contemporary Middle East politics and, as a result, be able to reflectively read, comprehend and evaluate the dramatic events unfolding in the region today. 
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
International Relations of the Middle East Louise FawcettOxford University Press9780192893680     
The Yacoubian BuildingʻAlāʼ AswānīFourth Estate0007243618 The reading, review, and class discussion of this novel is one of the assignments (10%)   
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Attendance and Class discussionThis includes active participation in class, reading and discussion of weekly assigned chapters/articles.15%
Mock debateThe students will be asked to represent a state or a non-state actor in a mock debate pertaining to a current or historical Middle East topic.15%
Midterm examThe midterm exam consists of written open-ended questions.25%
Final examThe final exam consists of written open-ended questions.30%
Book review and discussion 15%
   

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance and participation to discussions are mandatory for this class. You have 3 excused absences. Each extra absence will lower your final attendance grade by 10%. In some cases, there will be the possibility of cancelling out your unexcused absences by writing an extra assignment. However, more than 13 absences may result in failure to pass the course.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

NB. Additional required readings that will be used in class will be available on moodle

PART 1 - to read: Chapters 1 (International Relations Theory and the Middle East), 2 (The emergence of the Middle East into the Modern State system), 8 (Regionalism and Shifting alliances in the Middle East), 16 (Europe and the Mediterranean Middle East)

Middle East studies / Imperialism and Orientalism 

WWI and the mandate system

 

PART 2 - to read: Chapters 3 (The Cold War in the Middle East), 6 (The Politics of Identity in Middle East international relations), 14 (The United States in the Middle East)

The Cold War (1940s-1970s) 

The Arab-Israeli conflict part 1 

Arab nationalism / panarabism  

Review - MIDTERM EXAM

 

PART 3, to read Chapters 5 (Oil and Political Economy in the International Relations of the Middle East), 7 (Islam and International Relations in the Middle East), 11 (The Arab-Israeli Conflict)

Islam and politics, 

The 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran and the Islamization of conflicts 

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict after 1979 

Mock debate

 

PART4, to read Chapters 4 (The Middle East since the Cold War), 9 (Security in the Middle East: Whose Security), 12 (The International Politics of the Gulf), 

The Gulf after 1979: The Iran-Iraq war

The Gulf and the Middle East after the Cold War

 

PART 5, to read Chapters 10 (Foreign Policymaking in the Middle East: Complex realism), 13 (The Arab Spring: People in International Relations), 15 (Russia, China and the Middle East)

The Arab uprisings

book review deadline and discussion 

The regional escalation 2011-2023 

The current regional context

Review - FINAL EXAM