Undergraduate Module Descriptor

ARA2176: Spaces of Domination and Resistance in the Middle-East

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

Module Aims

In this module, you will gain an in-depth and nuanced understanding of the dynamics of space and place making in the Middle-East and their relation to power. You will become versed in a variety of theories from human and critical geography, anthropology, and politics. You will also engage deeply with the discussion of the spatial dynamics of power in the context of the Middle East and North Africa. In so doing you will explore a broad range of themes including colonialism and nationalism, development and neoliberalism, migrations and mobility, public and private spaces, citiscapes, environment, and nature. You will gain a familiarity with works that are important in both Middle Eastern Studies and geography and social sciences. Through active learning, you will also develop skills that are widely applicable beyond these disciplines, namely critical thinking and analysis, argumentation, presenting skills, and academic writing.

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 understanding of the dynamics of space making in their relation to practices of domination and resistance 2. Identify and assess the political, economic, environmental dynamics of the construction and use of space in the Middle East and North Africa 3. Evaluate different theoretical and methodological approaches developed in the study of space and power in the Middle East
Discipline-Specific Skills	4. Analyse and assess academic texts critically 5. Analyse, distinguish a range of sources and methods including academic writing, maps and images, works of art, fictions and memoirs. 6. Apply a multi-disciplinary approach in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of space and power.
Personal and Key Skills	7. Assess and review a wide range of literature and material 8. Engage in independent study and group work 9. Plan and produce work to a deadline

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:

Spaces of Colonialism
Engineering the territory of the nation-state
Landscapes of development and neo-liberalism
Cityscapes
Heritages and Spaces of Memory
Geographies of mobilities and containment: beyond walls and camps
Tahrir square and Gezi park: resisting in the public spaces
A place called home: a private space of resistance?
Global warming and transformation of energy landscape
The construction and predation of nature in the Middle East

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
22	128	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	22	Lecture (1 hour) followed by seminar (1 hour)
Guided Independent Study	44	Weekly reading (4 hours per week)
Guided Independent Study	11	Class Preparation (1 hour per week)
Guided Independent Study	36	Essay Preparation (20 hours reading+16 hours writing)
Guided Independent Study	37	Project Preparation (20 hours researching+ 17 hours preparing project/presentation/writing)

Online Resources

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