Module ARAM198 for 2019/0
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Postgraduate Module Descriptor
ARAM198: Political Economy of the Gulf
This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.
Module Aims
The main objective of the module is to provide you with specialised knowledge and critical understanding of the main themes and dynamics in the political economy of the Gulf, at the domestic, regional and global levels. This module aims particularly at exploring how politics and economy inform each other, at developing an understanding of processes of economic change in the Gulf monarchies and Iran, and of the way these processes have shaped the existing political realities of the broader Middle East. The module will thus equip you to analyse and make informed and critical evaluation of the contemporary politics and economy of the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Identify and critically assess the main issues in the political economy of the Gulf, including the politics of economic development; the main economic factors in domestic and regional politics; the political economy of oil; and the changing role of the Gulf in the global economy. 2. Locate, appraise and use main sources of information and data relating to the Gulf countries 3. Use different analytical approaches and concepts towards the study of the Gulf's political economies and social systems, and to make informed judgements regarding the similarities and contrasts of different Gulf polities. |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 4. Analyse and assess academic texts and prevailing notions critically; 5. Connect political and economic factors and dynamics in their domestic-international linkages; 6. Draw from broader concepts in political economy and to compare the Gulf with other regions of the world; 7. Embrace a multi-disciplinary approach in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the topic. |
| Personal and Key Skills | 8. Demonstrate skills of reasoned and supported argumentation in writing and in oral presentation; 9. Demonstrate skills of independent research and teamwork; 10. Demonstrate skills of finding, analysing and synthesising information from a range of source |
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
Politics of oil and rent in the Gulf: Economic structure, political effects
Political economy of Saudi Arabia
Political economy of Iran
The 'Dubai model' and political economy of the smaller Gulf states
Labour market and citizenship
Business and politics in the Gulf
The question of water and environment in the Arabian Peninsula
Gulfization of the Middle East political economy
The GCC states in the global economy
Diversification and economic reform: Towards a post-oil Gulf?
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 278 | 0 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 22 | Lectures/Seminars |
| Guided independent study | 110 | Reading for lectures/seminars |
| Guided independent study | 70 | Preparation and writing of summative essay |
| Guided independent study | 70 | Preparation of 2 x individual presentations |
| Guided independent study | 28 | Further reading and reflection |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
Other Learning Resources
Middle East Economic Digest (MEED)
Gulf States Newsletter
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class discussions | Weekly | 1-7; 9 | Verbal feedback |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 0 | 50 |
...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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 50 | 5,000 words | 1-9 | Written feedback |
| Individual presentations (x2) | 50 | 15-20 minutes each + 1,000-word document summarising main points | 1-9 | Verbal and written feedbacks |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay (5,000 words) | 1-9 | August/September reassessment period |
| Individual presentations (x2) | Individual presentations (2 x 15-20 minutes) - see re-assessment note below | 1-9 | August/September reassessment period |
Re-assessment notes
For the purposes of re-assessment, the number of presentations depends on how many were missed (i.e. 2 presentations missed means 2 separate presentations that must be re-assessed).
