Course Information
SemesterCourse Unit CodeCourse Unit TitleT+P+LCreditNumber of ECTS CreditsLast Updated Date
7PSIR460History, Politics, and Society in the Middle East3+0+03610.12.2024
Course Details
Language of Instruction English
Level of Course Unit Bachelor's Degree
Department / Program Political Science and International Relations
Type of Program Formal Education
Type of Course Unit Elective
Course Delivery Method Face To Face
Objectives of the Course This course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the Middle East by exploring its history, politics, and society. The objectives of the course are as follows:
1. To develop foundational knowledge of the geographical, cultural, and social features of the Middle East.
2. To introduce theoretical frameworks for analyzing the political and societal dynamics of the region.
3. To examine the historical evolution of the Middle East, focusing on the end of empires and the emergence of the modern state system.
4. To analyze the role of global and regional politics in shaping the Middle East during and after the Cold War.
5. To investigate key issues such as identity, nationalism, Islam, oil politics, and political economy to understand contemporary Middle East politics and society.
6. To explore deep-rooted struggles and contemporary security problems, fostering analytical skills for evaluating ongoing conflicts in the region.
Course Content The course introduces Middle East politics, history and society. It can be divided into three broad topics including descriptive geographical knowledge on region and theoretical background of analysis, history and politics of the Middle East; the issues concerning modern Middle East politics; analysis of deep-rooted struggles and contemporary security problems in the Middle East. After touching upon Middle East geography, culture and some descriptive features of the region, various approaches employed by international relations theories on issues of the region will be studied. The course proceeds by end of empires and emergence of modern state system in the Middle East. Global and regional politics during and after cold war in the Middle East will be discussed later. The much-debated issues concerning Middle East such as identity, nationalism, Islam, oil politics and political economy will be examined to have insight on current politics and society of the region. Last part of the course encompasses the elaboration of deep-rooted and relatively new security problems.
Course Methods and Techniques Lecture
Discussion based lecture
Case study
Prerequisites and co-requisities None
Course Coordinator None
Name of Lecturers Prof.Dr. Cenker Korhan DEMİR
Assistants None
Work Placement(s) No

Recommended or Required Reading
Resources Louise Fawcett (ed.) (2016). International Relations of the Middle East (Oxford: Oxford University Press), (selected chapters).
Fred Halliday (2005), The Middle East in International Relations: Power, Politics and Ideology (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), (selected chapters).
Mehran Kamrava (2011). The Modern Middle East: A Political History since the First World War (California: University of California Press), (selected chapters).
Course Notes A minimum attendance of 70% is required for this course. Students are expected to focus solely on course-related activities during class sessions. Active participation will positively contribute to the final grade.


Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Activities are given in detail in the section of "Assessment Methods and Criteria" and "Workload Calculation"

Assessment Methods and Criteria
In-Term Studies Quantity Percentage
Mid-terms 1 % 30
Quizzes 1 % 5
Assignment 2 % 10
Attendance 14 % 5
Practice 2 % 10
Final examination 1 % 40
Total
21
% 100

 
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration Total Work Load
Course Duration 14 3 42
Hours for off-the-c.r.stud 1 3 3
Assignments 2 10 20
Presentation 1 25 25
Mid-terms 1 30 30
Practice 1 10 10
Final examination 1 50 50
Total Work Load   Number of ECTS Credits 6 180

 
Course Learning Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
NoLearning Outcomes
1 CLO1: Recognize physical setting and descriptive geographical features of the Middle East. (PLO1/PY1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO2/PY2: Research methods)
2 CLO2: Describe the Middle East politics and society by basic approaches proposed by international relations theory. (PLO1/PY1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO2/PY2: Research methods, PLO3/PY3: Be Updated, PLO4/PY4: Interdisciplinary Study, PLO5/PY5: Independent Studying).
3 CLO3: Recognize the historical and societal foundation of state system in the Middle East. (PLO1/PY1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO4/PY4: Interdisciplinary Study, PLO5/PY5: Independent Studying, PLO8/PY8: Be able to construct intercultural relations).
4 CLO4: Identify underlying sources of identity and nationalism on Middle East politics (PLO1/PY1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO4/PY4: Interdisciplinary Study, PLO5/PY5: Independent Studying, PLO8/PY8: Be able to construct intercultural relations)
5 CLO5: Determine the influence of Islam on the society and politics of Middle East. (PLO1/PY1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO4/PY4: Interdisciplinary Study, PLO5/PY5: Independent Studying, PLO8/PY8: Be able to construct intercultural relations)
6 CLO6: Understand the economical underpinnings of the Middle East politics. (PLO1/PY1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO4/PY4: Interdisciplinary Study, PLO5/PY5: Independent Studying).
7 CLO7: Recognize the foundations of Arab-Israeli conflict (PLO1/PY1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO4/PY4: Interdisciplinary Study, PLO5/PY5: Independent Studying)
8 CLO8: Analyze the current security problems of the Middle East by identifying political, social, historical and geopolitical grounds. (PLO1/PY1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO2/PY2: Research Methods, PLO3/PY3: Be updated, PLO4/PY4: Interdisciplinary Study, PLO5/PY5: Independent Studying, PLO6/PY6 Taking Responsibility, PLO7/PY7: Social Communication, PLO8/PY8: Be able to construct intercultural relations, PLO10/PY10 Ethics)

 
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
WeekTopicsStudy MaterialsMaterials
1 Course Overview: an Introduction No assignment Fawcett (ed.) (2016), pp.1-17.
2 International Relations Theory and the Middle East Reading Fawcett (ed.) (2016), Ch.1, pp.21-38. Halliday (2005), Ch.1, pp.21-40.
3 Emergence of Modern State System in the Middle East Reading Fawcett (ed.) (2016), Ch.2, pp.39-61. Halliday (2005), Ch.3, pp.77-96.
4 The Cold War in the Middle East Reading Fawcett (ed.) (2016), Ch.3, pp.62-78. Halliday (2005), Ch.4, pp.97-129.
5 The Middle East after the Cold War Reading Fawcett (ed.) (2016), Ch.4, pp.79-104. Halliday (2005), Ch.3, pp.130-166.
6 Identity, Nationalism, and Islam: Arab Nationalism Reading Fawcett (ed.) (2016), Ch.7, pp.155-175.
7 Identity, Nationalism, and Islam: The Iranian Revolution Reading Fawcett (ed.) (2016), Ch.8, pp.176-195. Kamrava (2011), Ch.5, pp.140-169.
8 MID-TERM
9 Political Economy in the Middle East Reading Fawcett (ed.) (2016), Ch.8, pp.105-130. Halliday (2005), Ch.9, pp.261-302.
10 Arab-Israeli Conflict Reading Fawcett (ed.) (2016), Ch.12-13, pp.259-303.
11 Wars in the Gulf and Beyond Reading Fawcett (ed.) (2016), Ch.14, pp.304-323. Kamrava (2011), Ch.6, pp.170-211.
12 The Arab Spring and Repercussions Reading Fawcett (ed.) (2016), Ch.15, pp.324-355.
13 Country Analysis PowerPoint presentation to be prepared no assignment
14 Country Analysis PowerPoint presentation to be prepared No assignment
15 Overview No assignment No assignment

 
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10
C1 4 4
C2 5 3 4 3 3
C3 4 4 3 3
C4 3 4 2 3
C5 3 3 4
C6 3 3 4
C7 3 3 4
C8 2 3 3 4 4 2 2

  Contribution: 1: Very Slight 2:Slight 3:Moderate 4:Significant 5:Very Significant