SOCIETY AND POLITICS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

PSIR454

Course Code: PSIR454
Semester: -
Theory+Practice: 3 + 0
ECTS: 5

Course Type

Elective Course

Course Level

Bachelor's Degree

Year of Study

Semester

ECTS

Name of Lecturer(s)

Professor Banu Eligür

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, the students;

will be able to analyze issues such as democracy, authoritarianism, civil society, religion and state relations, identity politics and economic policies by understanding the basic political and social dynamics in the Middle East.
will be able to analyze the countries in the Middle East region (Egypt, Jordan, Iran, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Gulf States, Iraq, Syria, etc.) in a comparative perspective and identify the differences and common dynamics among them.
will be able to interpret current developments in the Middle East such as social movements, protest waves, the effects of the Arab Spring, conflict and peace processes, energy politics and regional power balances.
develop analytical and critical thinking skills through academic readings and critical discussions.
will have the necessary knowledge for internship and career planning in the Middle East.

Mode of Delivery

Face to face

Prerequisites

Recommended Optional Programme Components

No recommended optional programme components.

Course Description

This course aims to understand the political, economic and social dynamics in the Middle East by analyzing state and society relations in the region through historical and contemporary events. The first part of the course provides a brief theoretical framework, while the second part focuses on specific country analyses and current events.

Course Contents

WEEK	TOPICS
1^st Week	Introduction: General Dynamics of the Middle East and Basic Concepts
2^nd Week	Politics in the Middle East: Authoritarianism, Democracy and Regime Types
3^rd Week	Political Economy Oil, Energy and Rentier States
4^th Week	Religion and Identity Politics: Sectarianism, Ethnic Divisions and Religious Rivalries
5^th Week	Conflict and Security Issues in the Middle East
6^th Week	The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and its Regional Implications
7^th Week	Midterm Exam
8^th Week	Iran: Revolution, Regime Structure and Foreign Policy
9^th Week	Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States: Oil Economy and Regional Power Struggle
10^th Week	Iraq and Syria: Civil Wars and State Structures
11^th Week	Lebanon and Jordan: Political Stability and Regional Role
12^th Week	Egypt: Revolutions and Regime Transformation
13^th Week	Global Powers: Middle East Policies of the US, Russia, China and Europe
14^th Week	Basic Dynamics of Turkey's Middle East Policy

Recommended or Required Reading

Lisa Anderson (ed.), The State and Social Transformation in the Middle East and North Africa (Cornell University Press, 2020).
Mehran Kamrava, Inside the Arab State (Oxford University Press, 2018).
James Gelvin, The Modern Middle East: A History (Oxford University Press, 2023).
Michele Penner Angrist (ed.), Politics & Society in the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2022).
Asef Bayat, Revolution without Revolutionaries: Making Sense of the Arab Spring (Stanford University Press, 2017).
Fawaz A. Gerges, Making the Arab World: Nasser, Qutb, and the Clash That Shaped the Middle East (Princeton University Press, 2019).
Raymond Hinnebusch, The International Politics of the Middle East (Manchester University Press, 2021).
Bernard Lewis - Ortadoğu: İki Bin Yıllık Ortadoğu Tarihi (İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları, 2008)
Bernard Lewis - İnanç ve İktidar: Ortadoğu'da Din ve Siyaseti (Akılçelen Yayınları, 2020)
Eugene Rogan - Araplar: Bir Milletin Tarihi (Pegasus Yayınları, 2018)
Fred Halliday Ortadoğu Hakkında 100 Mit (İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları, 2016)
William L. Cleveland & Martin Bunton - Modern Ortadoğu Tarihi (İmge Kitabevi, 2019)
Rashid Khalidi - Filistin Üzerine Yüzyıllık Savaş (Metis Yayınları, 2022)
Mesut Özcan - Sorunlu Miras Irak (Küre Yayınları, 2003)
Abdullah Ağar IŞİD ve Irak (Remzi Kitabevi, 2015)
Muhammed Hüseyin Mercan Taha Eğri Orta Doğu Ekonomi Politiği (İktisat Yayınları, 2022)
Meliha Benli Altunışık (ed), Ortadoğu ve Dış Politika Arap Ülkeleri ve İsrail (İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi, 2022)
Zachary Lockman - Hangi Ortadoğu? Oryantalizm - Tarih Siyaset (Küre Yayınları, 2012)
Charles Lindholm - İslami Ortadoğu (İmge Kitabevi Yayınları, 2004)

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Lecture
Discussion
Questions/Answers

Assessment Methods and Criteria

	Quantity	Percentage (%)
Mid-term	1	30
Assignment	1	5
Attendance	1	20
Presentation of Case Study	1	10
Total(%)		65
Contribution of In-term Studies to Overall Grade(%)		65
Contribution of Final Examination to Overall Grade(%)		35
Total(%)		100

ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload

Activities	Quantity	Duration (Hour)	Total Workload (Hour)
Midterm exam	1	1.5	1.5
Preparation for Quiz
Individual or group work	14	2	28
Preparation for Final exam	1	30	30
Course hours	14	3	42
Preparation for Midterm exam	1	20	20
Laboratory (including preparation)
Final exam	1	1.5	1.5
Homework	1	7	7
Project	1	20	20
Total Work Load			150
Total Work Load / 30 (h)			5
ECTS Credit of the Course			5

Language of Instruction

Turkish

Work Placement(s)

Programme Qualifications / Learning Outcomes

	LO1	LO2	LO3	LO4	LO5
K1
K2
K3
K4					X
K5	X	X	X
K6	X	X
K7
K8
K9
K10
K11		X	X	X
K12	X	X	X
K13