Postgraduate Module Descriptor


ARAM204: The History and Historiography of the Palestine Question

This module descriptor refers to the 2016/7 academic year.

Module Aims

The first aim of this module is to acquaint you with how to apply theoretical readings in historiography to specific case studies. The second aim of this module is to introduce you to the major debates in the field of Middle Eastern historiography and the final aim is to acquaint you with how these theories and debates affect the historiography of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The aims of this module are to acquaint students with the historiographcial debate on the Palestine question after they were introduced to the history of the country in the BA stage. The module will help them to explore the connection between general debates on historiography, in particular nationalism and historical narratives, and the reconstruction of the past. They will learn what role the past plays in the current question of Palestine.

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. Appreciate the power of national narratives on the uses and abuses of history writing.
2. Demonstrate a familiarity with main works on the topic and the general theoretical literature on historiography.
3. Demonstrate a deeper understanding of the main historiographical debates on the Arab –Israeli Conflict.
Discipline-Specific Skills4. Display an understanding of the major historiographical debates in the field of Middle Eastern Studies
5. Deconstruct historical writing within a historiographical context.
Personal and Key Skills6. Demonstrate critical and analytical skills through readings, class discussions and presentations.
7. .Demonstrate the ability to develop, in writing, informed opinions on complex historiographical debates.