Undergraduate Module Descriptor

ARA3198: European and US Democracy Assistance in the Middle East and North Africa

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

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

The module will consist of 11 sessions which will emphasize different aspects 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 Study75Reading for assignments and preparing for class /group discussion
Guided Independent Study10Synopsis preparation
Guided Independent Study35Essay preparation
Guided Independent Study8Presentation preparation

Online Resources

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

Online library

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 assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Presentations (individual or group)5 minutes per person or 10 minutes per group, including a PowerPoint, Prezi or similar slideshow5-6 Oral feedback from the lecturer

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.

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Synopsis201,000 words1-6Written feedback from the lecturer
Essay803,000 words1-6Written

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 assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
SynopsisSynopsis (1,000 words)1-6August/September re-assessment period
EssayEssay (3,000 words)1-6August/September re-assessment period