POLS 3408: Comparative Politics of the Middle East
Spring 2022
School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Political Science
3 credit.
Instructor: Dr. Walid Kazziha
E-Mail: [email protected] Office hours: Sunday and Wednesday 1:00-2:00 pm.
Course Description:
This course seeks to introduce the students to the basic historical events, and the political processes, which have led to the emergence and development of political entities in the modern Middle East.
A select number of Middle East political systems will be examined to identify
the commonalities as well as the disparities among the peoples and countries of the region. Issues such as the nature of the states, civil society, the role of religion in politics, ideologies, impact of the West, and the consequences of international and regional interventions will be addressed.
Course Learning Outcomes:
Upon completing the requirements of the course students will be
1. Enabled to identify the various categories of political systems in the Middle East, and the basic differences among these categories.
2. Equipped with appropriate tools of analysis that would allow them to recognize the political and strategic specificities that distinguish the Middle East, from other regions of the world.
3. Qualified to construct arguments, evaluate governments political performance, critique leaders actions, and synthesize political events in the Middle East.
Course Material, Required Readings: (available to students via email) 1. Textbook, Ismael, T.Y., and Ismael, J. S., Government and Politics of the
Contemporary Middle East: Continuity and Change, 2nd edition, Routledge, (2015) 2. Online Films and Documentaries which the Instructor will share with the students in class.
Recommended but not required readings:
Owen, Roger 2013: State, Power and Politics in the Making of the Modern Middle East, (London, New York, : Routledge, 3rd edition)
Penney Angrist, Michele (ed.) 2013: Politics, and Society in the Contemporary Middle East, (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2nd Ed.)
Fred Jerome, Einstein on Israel and Zionism, 2009.
Ilan Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, 2009.
Course Content:
The course will be roughly divided into two parts:
1. The first part will examine the various historical phases which led to the emergence of the modern state system in the Middle East.
2. Part two will focus on the study of specific states in the Region with emphasis on those that are representative of various categories of political systems in the ME.
Calendar of the Course:
Part 1:
Lecture 1, Jan. 30
Introductory lecture by the Instructor to explain the course paradigm.
Lecture 2, Feb. 3
Lecture by the Instructor on the evolution of some Middle East political entities in the context of Ottoman Reform.
Lecture 3, Feb. 6
Discussion of readings: The Burden of History: from Empire to Nation States, pp.
23-55, and pp. 59-75.
Lecture 4, Feb 9
Lecture by the Instructor: The separation of Arabia, Sudan, and Libya under sectarian tribal leaderships in the remote peripheries of the Ottoman State.
Lecture 5, Feb. 13
Discussion: the First World War and the emergence of new states in the Arab East under the Mandatory Powers.
Lecture 6, Feb. 16
Lecture by the Instructor: Three Understandings: Hussein-McMahon Correspondent, Sykes -Picot Agreement, and the Balfour Declaration.
Lecture 7, Feb. 20 Lecture continued.
Lecture 8, Feb. 23
Discussion of the reading authored by Eugene Rogan: The Emergence of the Middle East into the Modern State System.
Lecture by E. Rogan on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pyKoqjFD9TU
Lecture 9, Feb.27, Continuation of the program Lecture 10, March 2, continuation of the program
Lecture 11, MIDTERM Exam, March 6
Part 2: Iran ,Syria, and Lebanon.
Lecture 12, March 9
Discussion of The Legacy of Islam: Continuity and Change, pp. 75-98, in Ismael.
Lecture 13, March 13
Lecture by Instructor: The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Rise of a Shii Arc of power in the Middle East.
Lecture 14, March 16
Lecture 15, March 20
Discussion of the reading assignment: Textbook: The Islamic Republic of Iran, pp 146-225.
Lecture 16, March 23
BBC documentary: The Iranian Revolution.
Lecture 17, March 27
Closing lecture on Iran by the Instructor: Iran’s Regional Role: Saudi Arabia, and Israel.
Lecture 18, March 30
BBC documentary: The Syrian Civil War.
Lecture 19, April 3,
Review Session in preparation for the second exam.
Lecture, 20, April 6 SECOND EXAM
Students should prepare for this second exam by studying the assigned readings the chapter on Iran, in addition to the lectures, documentary, and Discussions in class.
Lecture 20, April 10
Lecture by Instructor: The Syrian Arab Republic, Assad Regime 1970-2000
Lecture 21, April 13
Lecture by Instructor: Bashar Assad, and the Eruption of the Civil War, 2000-2020
Lecture 22, April 17
Discussion of the assigned Chapter on Syria in Textbook by T. Ismael. pp 303-351.
Lecture 23, April 20
Lecture by Instructor on the Lebanese Confessional System.
Lecture 24, May 8
Lebanon, Discussion assigned reading: Chapter on Lebanon by Ismael.
Lecture 25, May 11
Lecture by Instructor, Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Lecture 26, May 15
Discussion based on the reading in Ismael’s, chapter on Israel and Palestine, pp. 359- 423
Lecture 27, May 18
Lecture by Instructor: The Political System in Saudi Arabia.
Final Exam will be scheduled by the registrar, or arranged by a consensus between the instructor and the students.
Requirements of the course:
Students in the course are required to complete the following tasks:
1. Participate in class discussions and read the assignments in preparation for each meeting. 10%.
1. Complete the first Midterm exam, worth 30% of the total grade.
2. Similarly students are expected to sit for a second midterm also worth 30% of the total grade.
3. The final exam (30%) will be duly arranged in consultation between the instructor and the students, or by the registrar.
All exams will be given in a multiple choice format.
Assessment and Grading Scale Of Total Grade
* Class Participation. . 10%
* Three Multiple Choice Exams. 90% (30% each)
Grading Scale
A (95-100) C (71-74) A-(90-94) C-(68-70) B+(86-89) D+(63-67) B (81-85) D (60-62) B-(78-80) F (0-59) C+(75-77)
University Policies:
Code of Ethics/Academic Integrity:
Students are expected to commit to the principles of academic integrity. Academic integrity includes a commitment to not engage in or tolerate acts of falsification,
misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty include cheating or copying, plagiarizing, submitting another persons' work as one's own, using Internet or other sources without citation, fabricating field data or citations, stealing examinations,
tampering with the academic work of another student, facilitating other students' acts of academic dishonesty, etc. Plagiarism for assignments and/or reports will result in a zero grade for the assignment and/or the report in question. Cheating during an examination
will result in a zero grade for this examination. Further action, according to university regulations, will also be implemented.
Students should be aware that all written work might be submitted to “Turnitin.com”. By enrolling in AUC students acknowledge that they have understood that any detected plagiarism will have to be reported to the Academic Integrity Office.
Students need to be familiar with and committed to the University's policy on academic integrity, ie. The Code of Academic Ethics which is
available here: https://documents.aucegypt.edu/Docs/about_Policies/Code%20of%20Ac ademic%20Ethics.pdf
Attendance:
Students are expected to attend all class sessions. Students are permitted to miss as many as three weeks (one-fifth of the sessions) of any course during the semester due to illness, extracurricular activities, or sports commitments, provided the course
instructor is notified in a timely manner. There are no excused absences beyond this amount. A student who exceeds this limit will be subject to serious penalty, including potential failure of the course. Please review the AUC policy on attendance
here: https://catalog.aucegypt.edu/content.php?catoid=27&navoid=1333
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Harassment%20and%20Non-Discrimination%20Policy%208-5-20.pdf
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AUC has numerous facilities available to ensure that your educational endeavors will be successful. Students with special needs/disabilities who want to request special
accommodations, should contact the Student Disability Services unit at the Center for Student Well-being during the first few days of the semester: [email protected]. AUC
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https://www.aucegypt.edu/student/well-being/disability-services
University Writing Center:
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Technology:
Students will need Internet access and a PC computer or a Macintosh with the latest version of a web browser. Students can access Blackboard anywhere Internet access is available. Firefox Web or Google Chrome browser work best with Blackboard. If
wireless connectivity problems are encountered, please switch to a hardwired connection. The student Blackboard link can help answer questions here:
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Student and Faculty Communication:
Student and faculty meetings will be conducted during established office hours. In the event that the student has another course scheduled during the scheduled office hours, another meeting time can be requested, but this needs to be set and agreed upon by both parties at least 2 working days in advance.
During the work week, student emails and queries will generally be answered within 24- 48 hours. During weekends students can expect a typical response time of 48-72 hours.
Email correspondence that is professional, considerate and well written will lead to more effective communication and clearer answers. Students need to take the time to
formulate and proofread well thought out emails. Students should look for answers to their questions in the syllabus and on Blackboard before emailing the faculty using their AUC email accounts.