Undergraduate Module Descriptor

ARA1010: Politics and Economy of the Contemporary Middle East

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

Module Aims

The module aims to provide you with a general introductory survey of the politics and political economy of the Middle East, covering topics such as the Arab-Israeli conflict, the legacy of colonialism, the political economy of oil, the resilience of authoritarianism, the issue of political Islam and popular mobilization. It will provide you with an understanding of the key themes and issues pertinent to the academic study of the Middle-East region, and will seek to expand your ability to engage critically and analytically with issues facing the Middle- East region in the 21st century by situating them in historical and theoretical context, forming the basis for your studies in subsequent years.

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 understanding of the major political forces and trends, and of the main characteristics of the political economy, of the contemporary Middle Eastern region and of the dynamics affecting major states within it; 2. place contemporary political events in social and historical contexts;
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. relate political issues and trends to economic, societal, and cultural dynamics, and to comprehend the interplay between these at the domestic, regional and international levels; 4. demonstrate analytical and critical thinking related to socio-political and socio-economic phenomena at local and international level;
Personal and Key Skills	5. synthesize information from various sources into a coherent written argument; 6. demonstrate good oral and written communication skills; and 7. demonstrate the ability to work as part of a team.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

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:

Introduction to the Study of Middle Eastern Politics and Economy: theoretical background
The Making of the Modern Middle East: Colonialism and Nationalism
The Arab-Israeli Conflict
Egypt from Coup to Coup (1952-2013)
Lebanon, Palestine and the Diaspora: Community and State
Resilient Authoritarianism in Syria
Rentierism and Patrimonialism in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf
Revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran
Imperial Legacies Return in Iraq: State Formation & the Modern Politics of Post-2003
The Political Dynamics of the Maghreb
Islamism and the Arab Spring: between Violence and Democracy

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
26.5	123.5	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 activity	26.5	A combination of lectures and guided seminar discussions, (11 x 1.5 hour lectures and 10 x 1 hour seminars) including group brainstorming and brief student presentations. Seminar discussions generally follow a related introductory lecture the previous week
Guided Independent study	38	Weekly reading for lectures and tutorials
Guided Independent study	18	Researching and preparing presentation
Guided Independent study	59.5	Researching and writing of summative essays
Guided Independent study	8	Web-based learning

Online Resources

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