Undergraduate Module Descriptor

ARA3198: European and US Democracy Assistance in the Middle East and North Africa

This module descriptor refers to the 2020/1 academic year.

Overview

NQF Level 6
Credits 15 ECTS Value 7.5
Term(s) and duration

This module ran during term 2 (11 weeks)

Academic staff

Professor Lise Storm (Convenor)

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Available via distance learning

No

The module aims to provide you with an understanding of the subject of European and US democracy assistance in the Middle East and North Africa in the wake of the Arab Uprisings. The course makes use of a number of academic texts, practitioner reports and policy papers on European and US democracy assistance and the state of the region's regimes. The module does, in other words, include material which is theoretical and/or empirical in nature. By utilizing different types of texts it is hoped that you will gain the skills to discuss the topic of European and US democracy assistance both in a country specific and a theoretical setting. A final aim is to provide you with a level of knowledge that allows you to discuss the topic of European and US democracy assistance and the state of democracy, not only in the selected cases, but across the Middle East and North Africa.

This module on European and US democracy assistance in the Middle East and North Africa is designed for those students, who have an interest in the Middle East and current affairs, most notably the Arab Uprisings. Among the key issues that will be discussed are how much the political systems appear to have changed in the different Arab states in the wake of the Arab Uprisings, if the European states and US could realistically have done more to assist democratization, and whether they should be supporting democracy in the region at all. In other words, by taking this module you will be facing the current events; topics that are new and relatively unchartered in the academic literature, and therefore exciting but also challenging. If you enjoy a challenge, if you find current events fascinating, and if you enjoy debating, this module is for you. There are no long lectures, very few 'correct' answers - everything is up for discussion, albeit in an academic manner.

No prior knowledge skills or experience are needed to take this module. There are no pre-requisites and co-requisites, but students are expected to have a general interest in the Middle East, democracy and current affairs. The module is suitable for students who are studying the Middle East as well as non-specialist students. The module is also suitable for students that do not have a social science background, as long as they have a general interest in the Middle East, democracy and current affairs.

Module created

19/10/2018

Last revised

10/08/2020