Module ARA1010 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
ARA1010: Politics and Economy of the Contemporary Middle East
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
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).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminar discussion | Throughout every seminar | 1-4; 6 | Direct feedback in seminar |
| Seminar group presentation | 10 minutes each | 1-4; 6-7 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 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 1 | 50 | 2,000 words | 1-6 | Written feedback |
| Essay 2 | 50 | 2,000 words | 1-6 | Written feedback |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
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 1 | Essay (2,000 words) | 1-6 | August/September reassessment period |
| Essay 2 | Essay (2,000 words) | 1-6 | August/September reassessment period |
