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.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

The module will consist of 11 sessions which will emphasize different asprects of democracy support, the debates in international relations, the different types of actors, 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 history of democracy promotion
  • Debates in international relations
  • Who supports democracy? Case study on party assistance
  • Domestic politics challenging democracy support: the Daily Mail effect
  • Local politics: populism and corruption
  • Local reception of democracy support: who do you think you are?
  • Illiberal alternatives and appeal
  • Youths: disaffection, perceptions and priorities
  • How to overcome the challenges of democracy support

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
221280

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

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities2211 x 2hr sessions consisting of a mix of mini-lectures, workshops and class/group discussion with presentations organized around a specific theme for each session.
Guided Independent/private study75Reading for assignments and preparing for class /group discussion
Guided Independent/private study10Synopsis preparation
Guided Independent/private study35Essay preparation
Guided Independent/private study8Presentation preparation

Online Resources

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

Online library; Mentimeter (https://www.mentimeter.com)