Postgraduate Module Descriptor

ARAM244: Politics and Economics of the Middle East

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

The module aims to provide you with an understanding of the subjects of the politics and economics of the Middle East and North Africa. The module makes use of various books, practitioner reports and policy papers on politics and economics in the region, covering theoretical as well as empirical material. You will gain the skills to discuss the topics both in a country-specific and a broader setting, i.e., across the Middle East and North Africa.

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 Skills	1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of key issues in the debate on Middle East politics and economics, including international relations and development studies. 2. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the state of politics and economics in the Middle East and North Africa, not only at the regional level, but also in individual cases.
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. Find, use and analyze secondary and primary data relevant to specific issue areas, particularly Middle Eastern current affairs. 4. Place issues discussed in a wider context and deploy critical arguments relevant to the field of Middle East politics and economics.
Personal and Key Skills	5. Demonstrate critical and analytical skills through readings, class/group discussions and presentations. 6. Exhibit your ability to undertake political analysis at an advanced level.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

The module will consist of 11 sessions which will emphasize different aspects of Middle East politics and economics, focusing in particular on the main actors and institutions in the region and the challenges and opportunities facing these. 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:

The Arab Uprisings: placing the module in context
Poverty and inequality
Crony capitalism
Arab militaries: economic and political interference
Competitive authoritarianism
Governments and parliaments
Political parties
Essay workshop (synopsis-based)
Women in parliament
Trade unions

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

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities	22	11x2-hour seminars
Guided Independent Study	77	Weekly reading (7 hours per week)
Guided Independent Study	22	Class preparation (2 hours per week)
Guided Independent Study	179	Preparation and writing of synopsis (44 hours) and essay (135 hours)

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).