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MEDIA:
In a course on contemporary regional politics, it is essential to familiarize oneself with the unfolding political events of the time, especially if the student is not acquainted with the region. Read one of the following newspapers or otherwise online media daily. We will be talking (and trying to come to terms with) these headline events throughout the course. Two quizzes, one geographical and one on current events and persons, in addition to the Midterm, will require this familiarization:
Al Jazeera: http://aljazeera.com/
Al Arabiya: http://english.alarabiya.net/
Al Ahram: http://english.ahram.org.eg/
Haaretz: http://www.haaretz.com/
Zaman: http://www.todayszaman.com/mainAction.action
BBC Middle East: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/middle_east/
Jaddaliya (blog) : http://www.jadaliyya.com/#
One of the best ways, of course, to familiarize oneself with the politics of the Middle East is to actually visit the Middle East. The next best thing is watch Middle Eastern movies (and eat lots of humus). During class we will view and analyze part of an important film about Arab liberation movements and Arab nationalism, i.e. The Battle of Algiers. In addition, I have put six contemporary Middle Eastern films on reserve for the class at the library. For Assignments 3 or 6 (but not both) you have the option of writing a critical film review of one of these movies. The films on reserve for this class are as follows:
The Battle of Algiers (Gillo Pontecorvo, 1966)
The Yacoubian Building (Marwan Hamed, 2005)
Paradise Now (Hany Abu-Assad, 2005)
Ahlaam (Mohamed al-Daradji, 2005)
Budrus (Just Vision, 2010)
Al-Midan/The Square (Jehane Noujaim, 2013)
Course Outline:
Part I. History, States, Structures, Ideas
1. Towards the Nation-state in the Modern Middle East
Countries: Turkey & Algeria
2. State Formation and Institutions
Countries: Syria & Iraq
3. The Regional and International Politics of the Middle East
Countries: Israel & Palestine
4. The Political Economics of the Middle East
Countries: Saudi Arabia & Persian Gulf States
Part II. Religion, Society, Culture, Politics
5. State-Society Relations
Country: Morocco
6. Religion and Politics
Countries: Iran and Lebanon
7. What the People Say
Country: Jordan
8. Life as Politics: How Ordinary People Change the Middle East
Country: Egypt
Part III. New Directions:
9. Arab Spring, War and the Islamic State
Countries: Tunisia & Libya & Syria again
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Course Calendar
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January 19
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Class 1
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Course Introduction
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Part I: History, States, Structures, Ideas
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1. Towards the Nation-state in the Modern Middle East
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January 21
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Class 2
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What is the Middle East? Where did it come from?
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Michael Gasper, “The Making of the Modern Middle East,” in Middle East, (Chapter 1), pp.s 1-26.
William Dalrymple, “The Truth about Muslims,” New York Review of Books (2004). http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2004/nov/04/the-truth-about-muslims/?pagination=false
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January 23
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Class X
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The Islamic State and the Geopolitics of Christian-Muslim relations in the Middle-East today
Special Guest Speaker Dr. Fr. Fadi Daou, founder and chairperson of Adyan Foundation, Lebanon
FRIDAY MORING MAKE-UP CLASS: 10am
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January 26
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Class 3
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Empires, Colonialism and Modernization
Assignment 1: Map Quiz
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Michael Gasper, “The Making of the Modern Middle East,” in Middle East, (Chapter 1), pp.s 26-53.
Mine Eder, “Turkey,” in Middle East, (Chapter 25), pp.s 830-840.
Recommended: Kemal H. Karpat, “The Transformation of the Ottoman State, 1789-1908,” International Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. 3 (1972). http://psi424.cankaya.edu.tr/uploads/files/Karpat,%20Transformation%20of%20the%20Ott%20State,%201789-1908%20%281972%29.pdf
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January 28
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Class 4
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Liberation and Arab Nationalism
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Read Lahouari Addi, “Algeria,” Middle East (Chapter 10), pp.s 429-433.
Fouad Ajami, “The End of Pan-Arabism,” Foreign Affairs 57 (1978).
Film: Battle of Algiers
Recommended: Read Lahouari Addi, “Algeria,” Middle East (Chapter 10), pp.s 433-447.
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2. State Formation and Institutions
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February 2
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Class 5
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Institutions and States
Assignment 2 Due: Reflection on Arab Nationalism & Battle of Algiers
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Ellen Lust,“Institutions and Governance,” in Middle East, (Chapter 3).
Recommended: Adeed Dawisha, “Requiem for Arab Nationalism,” Middle East Quarterly Winter (2003).
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February 4
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Class 6
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Authoritarianism
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Eva Bellin, “The Robustness of Authoritarianism in the Middle East,” Comparative Politics (2004). http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/levitsky/files/bellin.pdf
Steven Heydemann, “Upgrading Arab Authoritarianism,” Brookings Institute (2007). http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2007/10/arabworld/10arabworld.pdf
Recommended: Raymond Hinnebusch,“Syria,” in Middle East, (Chapter 23) & Eric Davis, “Iraq,” in Middle East, (Chapters 13).
Daniel Brumberg, “The Trap of Liberalized Democracy” Journal of Democracy 13 (2002). http://www.journalofdemocracy.org/sites/default/files/Dan_Brumberg.pdf
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3. The Regional and International Politics of the Middle East
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February 9
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Class 7
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Israel, Palestine, Wars
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Read, Mark Tessler,“The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” (Chapter 7), pp.s 287-341.
Recommended: Lihi Ben Shitrit,“Israel,” in Middle East, & Benoit Challand, “Palestinian Authority” (Chapters 14 & 20).
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February 11
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Class 8
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Regional Alliance Formations
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Read, Mark Tessler,“The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” (Chapter 7), pp.s 341-361.
Michael Gasper, “The Making of the Modern Middle East,” in Middle East, (Chapter 1), pp.s 53-62.
Recommended: Stephen Walt, The Origins of Alliances, Cornell University Press, chapters 3 & 4 [on reserve]
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February 16
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Class 9
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Iran-Iraq War
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Read, Marc Lynch, “Regional International Relations,” in Middle East, (Chapter 8)
Recommended: Gary Sick, “Trial by Error: Reflections on the Iran-Iraq War,” Middle East Journal 43 (1989).
“Martyr Burials and Election Politics in Iran,” Middle East Research and Information Project, 2009
http://www.merip.org/mero/mero031909
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February 18
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Class 10
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International Politics
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Francesco Cavatorta, “International Politics of the Middle East” in Middle East, (Chapter 9).
Fred Halliday, Middle East and International Politics, (2005) pp.s 21-41 [on reserve].
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4. The Political Economics of the Middle East
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February 23
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Class 11
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Political Development
Assignment 3 Due : Reflection on Middle East Peace & Wars
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Melani Cammett,“The Political Economy of Development in the Middle East” in Middle East, (Chapter 4).
Recommended: Marc Lynch, “Mysteries of the Emir,” Foreign Policy (2013). http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/06/27/mysteries_of_the_emir_power_transfer_qatar
Hesham Al-Awadi, “Kuwait” in Middle East, (Chapter 16).
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February 25
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Class 12
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Oil States and Rentierism
Mid-Term Exam Distributed
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Pascal Menoret, “Saudi Arabia,” and Katja Niethammer, “Persian Gulf States” in Middle East, (Chapters 21 & 22).
Recommended: Michael Ross, “Does Oil Hinder Democracy,” World Politics 53 (2001) http://www.cmsconsultores.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/doesoil.pdf
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Part II: Religion, Society, Culture, Politics
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5. State-Society Relations
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March 2
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Class 13
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Social Transformations
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Read Valentine M. Moghadam and Tabitha Decker, “Social Change in the Middle East” in Middle East, (Chapter 2).
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March 4
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Class 14
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New Demographies
Olivier Roy, “The Transformation of the Arab World,” Journal of Democracy,” (2012). http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/23403/ROY-JOD-2012_PostPrint.pdf
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Driss Maghraoui and Saloua Zerhouni, “Morocco” in Middle East, (Chapter 18), pp.s 662-671 & 673-683.
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6. Religion and Politics
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March 9
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Class 15
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Islam and Politics
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Read Robert Lee and Lihi Ben Shitrit, “Religion Society, and Politics in the Middle East”in Middle East, (Chapter 5).
Mona el-Ghobashy “The Metamorphosis of the Egyptian Muslim Brothers,” International Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 37 (2005).
Recommended: Carrie Wickham, “The Path to Moderation: Strategy and Learning in the Formation of Egypt’s Wasat Party,” Comparative Politics (2004).
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March 11
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Class 16
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Post-Islam and Politics
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Read Mehrzad Boroujerdi, “Iran” in Middle East, (Chapter 12), pp.s 478-499.
Berna Turam, “Are Rights and Liberties Safe?” Journal of Democracy, 23 (2012).
Recommended: Sebnem Gumuscu, “Class, Status and Party: The Changing Face of Political Islam in Turkey and Egypt,” Comparative Political Studies (2010)
Ates Altinordu “Occupy Gezi: Beyond the Religious-Secular Cleavage,” The Immanent Frame (2013). http://blogs.ssrc.org/tif/2013/06/10/occupy-gezi-beyond-the-religious-secular-cleavage/
Paul Salem, “Lebanon,” in Middle East, (Chapter 17).
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7.What the People Say
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March 16
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Class 17
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Public Opinion
Assignment 4: Presidents, Prime Ministers, Parties, Kings and Current Events Quiz
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Read Amaney Jamal and Lina Khatib, “Actors, Public Opinion, and Participation,” in Middle East (Chapter 6).
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March 18
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Class 18
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Democracy Attitudes & Muslim Pluralism
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Mark Tessler, Amaney Jamal and Michael Robbins. 2012. “New Findings on Arabs and Democracy,” Journal of Democracy 23(4) 89-103: http://www.journalofdemocracy.org/article/new-findings-arabs-and-democracy
Charles Kurzman and Ijlal Naqvi, “Do Muslims Vote Islamic?” Journal of Democracy 21 (2010).
Recommended: Laurie A. Brand, “Jordan” in Middle East, (Chapter15).
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8. Life as Politics: How Ordinary People Change the Middle East
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March 23
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Class 19
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The Poor and the Perpetual Pursuit of Life Chances
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Read Bayat, chapters 1, 3 & 4
Recommended: Tarek Masoud, “Egypt,” in Middle East (Chapter 11).
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March 25
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Class 20
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Street Politics and the Political Street
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Read Bayat, chapters 6, 7 & 9
Recommended: “Rock the Mullahs & Heavy Metal Islam,” Interview with Mark Levine on Slate: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2008/07/rock_the_mullahs.html
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March 30
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Class 21
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Everyday Cosmopolitanism
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Read Bayat chapters 10 & 11
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III. New Horizons
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9.Arab Spring, War and the Islamic State
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April 1
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Class 22
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Assignment 5 Due: Reflection on Life as Politics
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F. Gregory Gause, “Why Middle East Studies Missed the Arab Spring: The Myth of Authoritarian Stability,” Foreign Affairs (81) 2011.
http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/fora90&div=67&id=&page=
Economist, “Has the Arab Spring Failed” Special Report (2013) http://www.economist.com/printedition/2013-07-13
Timeline: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/mar/22/middle-east-protest-interactive-timeline
Map: http://thehiddentranscript.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/arab-spring-map1.jpg
Recommended: Pew Form, “Arab Spring Adds to Global Restrictions on Religion (2013) http://www.pewforum.org/Government/arab-spring-restrictions-on-religion-sidebar2.aspx
Faoud Ajami,”The Arab Spring at One: A Year of Living Dangerously,” Foreign Affairs (2012).
http://people.stfx.ca/x2010/x2010mbm/Devs%20401%20Term%20Paper/Foreign%20Affairs.pdf
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April 13
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Class 23
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Maghrebi Springs
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Read Jeffrey A. Couple and Hamadi Redissi, “Tunisia,” in Middle East (Chapter 24), pp.s 789-815.
Ahmed Benchemsi, “Morocco: Outfoxing the Opposition,” Journal of Democracy (2012).
Michael Driessen, “Algerian Elections: Everybody Loses Again” (2012) http://michaeldriessen.com/2012/05/20/elections-in-algeria-everybody-loses-again/
Recommended: Mohamed-Salah Omri, “Tunisia’s Dangerous identity Politics,” Think Africa, (2013)
http://thinkafricapress.com/tunisia/identity-politics
Amanda Kadlec, “Libya” in Middle East, (Chapter 18).
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April 15
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Class 24
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Egypt
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Samer Shehata, “In Egypt, Democrats v. Liberals” July 2nd, 2013, New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/03/opinion/in-egypt-democrats-vs-liberals.html?hp&_r=1&
Marc Lynch, “Downfall in Cairo,” Foreign Policy, July 3rd, 2013
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/07/03/morsy_military_coup_egypt_us_obama
Recommended:
“As Egyptians Grasp for Stability Sisi Fortifies his Presidency,” New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/08/world/as-egyptians-grasp-for-stability-sisi-fortifies-his-presidency.html
Nathan Brown, “Post-Revolutionary Al-Azhar” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (2011)
http://carnegieendowment.org/files/al_azhar.pdf
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April 20
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Class 25
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Refo-lutions? Islam and the Arab Spring
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Read Bayat chapters 12, 13, 14 & 15
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April 22
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Class 26
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Syria
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Geneive Abdo, “The New Sectarianism: The Arab Uprisings and the Rebirth of the Shi’a-Sunni Divide,” Brookings March/April (2013) http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2013/04/sunni%20shia%20abdo/sunni%20shia%20abdo.pdf
Recommended: Lynch “The War for the Arab World,” Foreign Policy March (2013) [response to Abdo].
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/05/23/war_for_the_arab_world_sunni_shia_hatred
Human Rights Watch: Syria Government Likely Culprit in Chemical Attack:
http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/09/10/syria-government-likely-culprit-chemical-attack
Wendy Pearlman, “Love in the Syrian Revolution,” 2013 Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wendy-pearlman/love-in-the-syrian-revolu_b_3616646.html
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April 27
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Class 27
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The Islamic State and its Aftermath
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BBC “The Arise of the Islamic State,” http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28116033
Washington Post, “Tracking the Islamic State,” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/world/islamic-state-tracker/
“Western Jihadists Defend their War on Assad” New York Times 2014
Http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/11/world/middleeast/as-western-bombs-fall-on-syria-western-jihadists-defend-their-war-on-assad.html?ref=europe
Recommended:
VICE NEWS: Islamic State Documentary: https://news.vice.com/video/best-of-vice-news-2014-the-islamic-state-full-length
“Life in a Jihadist Capital: Order with a Darker Side” New York Times 2014
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/world/middleeast/islamic-state-controls-raqqa-syria.html?_r=0
“Al Qaeda Slaughters: Syria Killing Fields” Al Jazeera 2014
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/01/al-qaeda-slaughters-syria-killing-fields-2014121112119453512.html
Reuters, “Convert, Pay Tax, or Die,” July 2014: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/18/us-iraq-security-christians-idUSKBN0FN29J20140718
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April 29
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Class 28
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Conclusions on the future of the Middle East
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Jürgen Todenhöfer, “Islamic State: Seven Impressions of a Difficult Journey,” http://juergentodenhoefer.de/seven-impressions-of-a-difficult-journey/?lang=en
Q&A German Journalist on Surviving ISIL (Al Jazeera) http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/2014/12/qa-german-journalist-surviving-isil-20141224164752725983.html
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Final Exam
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Hand in papers
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