Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL3252: Violence and Conflict in the Middle East

This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.

Module Aims

This module will:

  • Provide you with an analytical toolbox to develop a systematic understanding of the current political, economic and security challenges to the Middle East.
  • Introduce you to a variety of different theoretical perspectives to studying the region's politics, and some of the principal academic debates surrounding the notions of conflict and violence.
  • Develop an advanced critical understanding of the socio-political and historical processes, and major political, social, ideological, cultural, and economic factors that have led, or contributed, to the current instabilities in the Middle East.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. Demonstrate an advanced critical understanding and awareness of the important political, economic and security challenges to the contemporary Middle East.
2. Demonstrate an advanced critical appreciation of various theories of violence and conflict across political, social, ideological, cultural and economic dimensions.
3. Recognise and identify the key concepts and debates surrounding study of violence and the Middle East and critically discuss them in relation to the current challenges in the region;
Discipline-Specific Skills4. Locate and engage with an array of material, involving web-based data, academic journals, news sources, in order to develop in-depth knowledge of particular issues;
5. Formulate, articulate and defend your own well-structured or reasoned arguments in the light of appropriate evidence;
6. Apply abstract theoretical ideas and concepts to actual events and outcomes;
Personal and Key Skills7. Formulate and present information and critical analysis, in both written and oral forms, in a coherent manner;
8. Understand assessment criteria, engage in critical, yet constructive, peer-evaluation and produce feedback and suggestions for improvement;
9. Work independently and in collaboration with peers;