Module ARA3136 for 2018/9
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
ARA3136: The History and Political Development of Iraq
This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.
Module Aims
The purpose of this module is to develop an understanding of the modern history and politics of one of the most critical state actors in Middle East politics. The module aims to generate among students an appreciation of how social, economic, political, and international forces have met in Iraq, culminating in the contemporary post-2003 situation. The module aims to make students familiar with the latest scholarship on Iraq, and engage with actual actors who will be invited to selected lectures.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Demonstrate understanding of Iraq's historical development; 2. Assess and analyze Iraq's internal political and social structures; 3. Demonstrate comprehension of Iraq's position in the region; 4. Analyze and assess Iraq's economy; 5. Examine Saddam Hussein's emergence and rule, the Gulf wars, the international sanctions, and the 'regime change'; 6. Apply and discuss theories of state-building, nationalism, political economy, and democratic transition. |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 7. Discuss and analyze historical material; 8. Critically evaluate the forces of state and nation formation; 9. Embrace a multi-disciplinary approach in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of a particular country; 10. Undertake a study from a multi-disciplinary perspective; 11. Employ visual aids in project work. |
| Personal and Key Skills | 12. Demonstrate skills in time management; 13. Demonstrate skills in using information technology; 14. Demonstrate oral and written communication skills; 15. Demonstrate abilities to work effectively in study groups with limited guidance; 16. Demonstrate skills to plan and produce course-work to a deadline. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| One group presentation | 15 minutes | 1-16 | Direct feedback in seminar |
| Class discussion | Weekly | 1-10; 14 | Direct feedback in seminar |
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 | 50 | 0 |
...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 | 2,000 words | 1-12; 14; 16 | Written feedback |
| Examination | 50 | 2 hours | 1-10; 12; 14 | Written feedback |
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 (2,000 words) | 1-12; 14; 16 | August/September reassessment period |
| Examination | Examination (2 hours) | 1-10; 12; 14 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
Abdul-Jabar, Faleh and Hosham Dawod, eds. Tribes and Power. Nationalism and Ethnicity in the Middle East. London: Saqi, 2003.
Abdul-Jabar, Faleh, ed. Ayatollahs, Sufis and Ideologues: State, Religion and Social Movements in Iraq. London: Saqi Books, 2002.
Alnasrawi, Abbas. Iraq’s Burdens: Oil, Sanctions and Underdevelopment. London: Greenwood, 2002.
Anderson, Liam and Gareth Stansfield. The Future of Iraq: Dictatorship, Democracy or Division? New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.
Baram, Amatzia. Building Toward Crisis: Saddam Husayn’s Strategy for Survival. Washington, D.C.: Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 1998.
Baram, Amatzia. Culture, History and Ideology in the Formation of Ba‘thist Iraq, 1968-89. London : Macmillan /St Antony’s College, Oxford, 1991.
Batatu, Hanna. The Old Social Classes and the Revolutionary Movements in Iraq. London: Saqi, 2004.
Dodge, Toby. Iraq’s Future: the Aftermath of regime change. London: Routledge for the International Institute for Strategic Studies, 2005.
Dodge, Toby and Steven Simon, eds. Iraq at the Crossroads: State and Society in the Shadow of Regime Change. London: IISS/OUP, 2003.
Dodge, Toby. Inventing Iraq. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003.
Farouk-Sluglett, Marion and Peter Sluglett. Iraq Since 1958: from Revolution to Dictatorship. London : I. B. Tauris, 1990.
Marr, Phebe. The Modern History of Iraq (2nd edition). Boulder CO: Westview, 2004.
Niblock, Tim. "Pariah States" and Sanctions in the Middle East: Iraq, Libya and Sudan. Boulder, CO: Westview, 2001.
Tripp, Charles. A History of Iraq (3rd edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
Visser, Reidar. A Responsible End? The United States and the Iraqi Transition, 2005-2010. Charlottesville, VA: Just World Books, 2010.
