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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PL 265"
COURSE NAME: "Politics of the Middle East"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2026
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Giulia Daga
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 11:30 PM 12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: PL 209 OR PL 223
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course offers an introduction to the history and politics of the contemporary Middle East. It combines an IR/political science perspective with an area study approach in understanding the historical grounding of ongoing processes that affect the region and its relations with the rest of the world. In particular, it focuses on the legacy of imperialism and recent foreign powers’ penetration on contemporary nation-states' tensions; transnational ideologies (nationalism, pan-Arabism, Arab socialism, Islamism) and their impact on intra-regional and extra-regional relations; the roots and evolution of the Arab-Israeli and Israeli-Palestinian conflicts; the Islamic revolution in Iran and its consequences on the “sectarianization” of conflicts; the question of democracy and authoritarianism before and after the “Arab uprisings”; and shifting alliances and political violence between State and non-state actors from the Gulf to the Levant.
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 WWI to the contemporary post-Arab Uprisings era.

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 tensions between nation-states, national identity construction, regime legitimacy, and supranational ideologies such as Arab nationalism and political Islam.

Then, the course will focus on the relationship of Middle Eastern countries with the US and its evolving doctrines and policies towards the region during and after the Cold War.

Moreover, the course will dedicate space to understanding the origins and evolution of the Israeli-Arab and Israeli Palestinian conflict; 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; the practices of democraticy and authoritarianism before and after the Arab uprisings. 

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 EastLouise FawcettOxford University Press 9780192893680     
The Yacoubian BuildingʻAlāʼ AswānīFourth Estate0007243618 The reading, review, and class discussion of this novel is one of the assignments   
State, Power and Politics in the Making of the Modern Middle EastRoger OwenRoutledge0415297133     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
ParticipationThis includes active participation in class; reading and discussion of weekly assigned chapters/articles; participation to the in-class workshops25
Book review and discussion 20
Mock debateStudents will be asked to represent a state or a non-state actor in a mock debate pertaining to a current or historical Middle East topic25
Final research project and presentation 30

-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 

Introducing Middle East Studies; The Middle East During WWI; The system of Mandates; New borders beyond the mandates; Imperialism and Orientalism
Workshops: comparing primary sources; translating documents into maps

- to read: FAWCETT Chapters 1 (International Relations Theory and the Middle East), 2 (The emergence of the Middle East into the Modern State system), 16 (Europe and the Mediterranean Middle East)

 

PART II

National Identity Construction and Centralization 

The tension between nation-states and supranational identities in the Arab world: The League of Arab States, Pan-Arabism and the Palestinian question 

- to read:  FAWCETT:  6 (The Politics of Identity in Middle East international relations); 

- OWEN: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Workshop: understanding the links between identity construction and foreign policy

US doctrines in the Middle East during the Cold War

-To read: FAWCETT: Chapters 3 (The Cold War in the Middle East)

 

Part III

Islam and politics, The 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran and the Islamization of conflicts

- To read FAWCETT chapter 7 (Islam and International Relations in the Middle East),

- OWEN - chapter 9

Israel-Palestine from Oslo to Trump’s peace plan; the regional and international dimensions of the war in Gaza 

- To read FAWCETT chapter 11 (The Arab-Israeli Conflict)

MOCK DEBATE

 

PART IV

US policies in the Gulf after 1979: the Iran-Iraq war; the Gulf wars, Post-2003 Iraq

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

- OWEN, Chapter 6 and 12

Democracy vs authoritarianism; the Arab uprisings; the role of the Muslim Brotherhood; a new wave of authoritarian backsliding

Rentierism, diversification, and leadership change in the Gulf monarchies: negotiating new social contracts

- To read FAWCETT - chapters 5 (Oil and Political Economy in the International Relations of the Middle East); chapter 13 (The Arab Spring: People in International Relations)

- OWEN: chapters 7, 8, 10, 11

BOOK REVIEW DEADLINE AND DISCUSSION

Politics of rivalry and sectarianization between Iran and Saudi Arabia; case study: the civil war in Yemen; the role of non-state actors

- To read FAWCETT Chapters 8 (Regionalism and Shifting alliances in the Middle East), 10 (Foreign Policymaking in the Middle East: Complex realism), 15 (Russia, China and the Middle East)

FINAL RESEARCH PROJECT (PRESENTATION DURING THE FINAL EXAM DATE)