2022/23 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

ARAB3110 Middle Eastern Politics: Regimes, Societies and Conflict

20 creditsClass Size: 45

Module manager: Dr Hendrik Kraetzschmar
Email: h.j.kraetzschmar@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2022/23

Module replaces

ARAB3035

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

The module seeks to equip students with the ability to critically explore, discuss and write on issues in Middle East politics at domestic, regional and international level.

Objectives

This module explores a range of domestic-, regional and international-level issues facing the contemporary Middle East. At the domestic level these include issues such secularism in Turkey, leadership in Iran, the identity problem in Iraq, opposition and reform in Saudi Arabia and regime-Islamist relations in Egypt. At the regional level, they pertain to the Kurdish Question, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the issue of Islamist ascendancy and more broadly dilemmas of democratisation in the Middle East. At the international level, they concern the foreign policies of the US, the European Union and Russia in the Middle East since the 1990s.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should have acquired a solid grounding in the domestic and regional politics of the Middle East and an ability to critically reflect on key issues facing the region.
In addition to the discipline knowledge, by the end of the module students should have acquired various transferrable skills, including communication, essay writing, time management and presentation skills.

Syllabus

The topics covered in the module include:
1. Domestic Issues in Middle East Politics
- Turkey: Secularism vs. Islamism
- Iran: The Hallmarks of a Hybrid Regime
- Iraq: From US Occupation to Sovereign Independence
- Saudi Arabia: Political Opposition and Reform
- Jordan: The Survival of a Small Regional State
- Egypt: Regime Politics towards Islamist Organisations in the Authoritarian Era

2. Regional Issues in Middle East Politics
- Regionalism in World Politics
- The Kurdish Question and the Region
- Collective Security in the Arab Gulf Region
- The Israel-Palestine Conflict
- The Radicalisation & Globalisation of the Islamist Movement
- Prospects for Democratisation

3. International Issues in Middle East Politics
- Major Areas in US Middle East Politics
- Russian Middle East Foreign Policies

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	2.00	21.00
Seminar	11	1.00	11.00
Private study hours			168.00
Total Contact hours			32.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

200 hours including the contact hours and also hours spent on student preparation for two essays, seminars, lectures.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Student progress will be monitored using the following methods:
- Written / oral assignments
- Designated feedback sessions (one per semester)
- Student questionnaires
- Personal tutee appointments
- Tutor office hours

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	3000 word essay	70.00
Essay	1000 word review essay	30.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 27/07/2022

Disclaimer

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