Module ARA3140 for 2016/7
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
ARA3140: The Kurds: History and Politics
This module descriptor refers to the 2016/7 academic year.
Module Aims
This module will introduce you to the history of the Kurds, the largest stateless nation and the largest group in the Middle East after Arabs, Persians and Turks. They have recently begun to play a prominent role in the complex politics of the Middle East, which is difficult to understand without a grasp of the Kurds’ long and complicated history. The course aims to give an understanding of the history of the Kurds, to identify the major actors in this history, and to help you analyse their political development from a range of perspectives. The module will encourage you to critically examine the history of the Kurds and their politics, considering issues of social organisation, nationalism, political party formation, identity, political economy, regional relations, and international relations.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Demonstrate understanding of the historical development of the different parts of Kurdistan. 2. Demonstrate ability to analyse political and social structures of these parts of Kurdistan. 3. Demonstrate comprehension of the Kurds regional position. 4. Demonstrate objective analysis of the Kurds interaction with the dominant states of the region. |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 5. Discuss and analyze historical material. 6. Critically evaluate a range of historical resources. 7. Apply a multi-disciplinary approach in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of a particular ethnic group. |
| Personal and Key Skills | 8. Plan and produce work to a deadline 9. Develop a short reasoned argument in answer to a question 10. Undertake a limited degree of research, including finding material online, to prepare a written report |
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reaction papers | 500 words each. You submit 9 Reaction papers during this module. The 5 reaction papers receiving the highest marks will count as summative assessments. The other 4 Reaction papers provide opportunities to receive formative assessment feedback. | 1-3;5-7;8-10 | Written feedback for each assignment within the turnaround period and student can make an appointment to discuss it with me. |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 x Reaction papers (see above for details) | 30 | 1-3;5-7;8-10 | Feedback written weekly and students can make an appointment | |
| Academic Book Review | 20 | 1000 words | 1-4; 6; 8-9 | Through feedback sheet and by appointment with student |
| Essay | 50 | 2500 words | 1-4;5-7;8;11 | Through feedback sheet and by appointment with student |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reaction papers | Up to 5 reaction papers (to make up to total of 5) | 1-3;5-7; 8-10 | August/September assessment period |
| Academic Book Review | Academic book review (1000 words) | 1-4; 6; 8-9 | August-September assessment period or earlier, by agreement with Module leader |
| Essay | Essay (2500 words) | 1-4;5-7;8;11 | August-September assessment period or earlier, by agreement with Module leader |
Re-assessment notes
If reaction papers are missed, they can be submitted at the end of the course, by arrangement with module leader. If 5 or more are failed, new titles will be set to replace them; these will be capped at 40%
