Postgraduate Module Descriptor

ARAM247: Rethinking Palestine: Critical Readings

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

Module Aims

The primary aim of this module is to acquaint you with core texts of Palestine studies and to help you read them critically, developing research skills that allow you to investigate topics and readings that may be of use in constructing a viable dissertation and to develop key disciplinary skills that may contribute to the wider MA programme. This module may not be used for direct research on individual MA dissertation topics; however, it may be used to explore topics of wider interest for a dissertation. For example, you may wish to develop your knowledge of specific subjects, which are not fully explored elsewhere in the curriculum, or to read specific texts (such as literary texts) with critical discussion.

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 an advanced knowledge of core texts in Palestine studies and the development of this field of study; 2. demonstrate an advanced and critical knowledge of the texts you have chosen.
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. demonstrate analytically how to contextualize the readings, theories and approaches within the wider field of Palestine Studies specifically and Middle East and Islamic Studies more broadly; 4. undertake research effectively, construct a bibliography and ground one's research within the field of Palestine Studies;
Personal and Key Skills	5. demonstrate understanding and analysis of research undertaken, in oral and written forms; 6. demonstrate the absorption, critical analysis of readings and approaches undertaken.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

It is anticipated that the module will cover some of the themes below:

Definitions: How can we define ‘Palestine Studies’ and (given the competing Zionist and Palestinian narrative of the country’s history and present realities)?
The impact of Edward Said’s critique on orientalism on the historiography of Palestine.
The impact of the “new history” in Israel on Palestine Studies.
The Impact of the settler colonial paradigm on Palestine Studies.
The new and recent developments in oral and interdisciplinary history on Palestine Studies.

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
11	139	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	11	1 hour initial group meeting; (4 x 1 hour) Engagement and discussion of readings, at times agreed directly with the tutor; (3 x 2 hour) meeting with course convenor and group in weeks 4, 8 and 11 of term; You will make a presentation to this group.
Guided Independent Study	81	Investigation of sources and research.
Guided Independent Study	32	Preparing and presenting the formative assessment and writing the final summative paper.
Guided Independent Study	26	Utilising major web-based resources

Online Resources

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

ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Other Learning Resources

Relevant Journals include: Journal of Palestine Studies, Holy Land and Palestine Studies, Settler Colonial Studies and Middle East Journal.