Module ARA3140 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
ARA3140: The Kurds: History and Politics
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
This module will introduce you to the social and political history of the Kurds, the largest stateless nation and the largest group in the Middle East after Arabs, Persians and Turks. They have begun to play a prominent role in the complex politics and social transformation of the Middle East, which are difficult to understand without a grasp of the Kurds’ long and complicated history. The module aims to give you an understanding of the social and political history of the Kurds in relation to the global context, and to help you analyse their political organisation and the evolution of the society from a range of perspectives. The module will encourage you to critically examine the social and political history of the Kurds, considering issues of social organisation, nationalism, political party formation, identity and religion, migration, diaspora, and mobility, gender, political economy, regional and international relations.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Demonstrate a detailed understanding of the political historical developments of the different parts in Kurdistan in a global context. 2. Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the social and economical transformation of Kurdistan and Kurdish society since the late 19th century 3. Demonstrate objective analysis of the Kurds interaction with the dominant states of the region. |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 4. Discuss and analyze historical material. 5. Apply a multi-disciplinary approach in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of a particular ethno-national group. 6. Distinguish between a range of methodological approaches as well as variety of genres, i.e. historical, political or anthropological and sociological texts, (auto)biographical writings and fiction. |
| Personal and Key Skills | 7. Digest, select and organise material to produce, to a deadline, a coherent and cogent argument, developed through the mode of assessment. 8. Analyze and assess literature and various resources critically 9. Engage in independent study in group or individually |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class discussion and group or individual presentation | Weekly | 1-3 | Oral feedback |
| Project Proposal | 800-1000 words | 1-3; 7 | Oral and Written Feedback |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Book Review | 20 | 1000 words | 1-3; 6-9 | Written (and verbal by appointment with student) |
| Essay | 50 | 2500 words | 1-9 | Written (and verbal by appointment with student) |
| Project | 30 | 15 minutes class presentation; materials for submission (images/films/slides; or short essay TBD on individual basis with module convenor) | 1-9 | Written and verbal |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project | Project, including short 1000-word reflective essay (to replace class presentation) | 1-9 | August/September reassessment period |
| Academic Book Review | Academic book review (1000 words) | 1-3; 6-9 | August/September reassessment period |
| Essay | Essay (2500 words) | 1-9 | August/September reassessment period |
