Prospectus

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History: Middle East

Course
2015-2016

Admission requirements

This course is only available for students in the BA International Studies.

Limited places are also open for exchange students. Please note: this course takes place in The Hague.

Description

The goal of this course is to introduce students to major intellectual, political, social and cultural issues and practices in the Middle East in the 19th and 20th centuries. The emphasis throughout will be on identifying the ways in which specific events and long-term processes have informed social and political realities in the contemporary Middle East. Geographically, we will focus on Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel/Palestine, the Arabian Peninsula, and Egypt. We will study some of the most significant political, social, economic and cultural developments in the region, including (but not limited to): the rise and formation of modern nation states, the role of imperialist and colonial powers, the emergence of nationalism and pan-Arabism, authoritarianism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the politics of oil, the rise of Islamic political movements, and will examine the “Arab Spring.” In addition, the class will be based on various types of readings ranging from primary documents, historical narratives, and historiography, to works of fiction. This is intended to familiarize students with the craft of historical work and the process of creating the historiographies of the Modern Middle East.

Course objectives

This course provides an introduction to the modern history of the region of North Africa and West Asia between the Atlantic and Central Asia, commonly known as the Middle East. It covers the period from the end of the 18th century until the present. In addition, the class will be based on various types of readings ranging from primary documents, historical narratives, and historiography, to works of fiction. This is intended to familiarize students with the craft of historical work and the process of creating the historiographies of the Modern Middle East.

Timetable

The timetable is available on the BA International Studies website

Mode of instruction

One two hour lecture per week; bi-weekly tutorials.

Attending lectures and tutorials is compulsory. If you are not able to attend a lecture or tutorial, please inform the tutor of the course. Being absent without notification can result in a lower grade or exclusion from the final exam or essay.

Course Load

Total course load for the course 5 EC x 28 hours is 140 hours, broken down by
12 lectures: 24 hours
4 tutorials: 8 hours
Preparation for lectures and tutorial assignments: 72 hours
Preparation exams: 36 hours

Assessment method

Tutorials 30%
Midterm Exam 30%
Final Exam 40%
If the final grade is insufficient (lower than a 6), there is the possibility of retaking the full 70% of the exam material, replacing both the earlier mid- and endterm grades. No resit for the tutorials is possible.
There is an optional extra-credit assignment that is due on May 1 via Blackboard by 17:00.

To complete the final mark, please take notice of the following:
the final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average

Blackboard

Blackboard will be used. For tutorial groups: please enroll in blackboard after your enrolment in uSis
Students are requested to register on Blackboard for this course.

Reading list

Registration

Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.

General information about uSis is available in English and Dutch

Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs

Not applicable.

Contact

Dr. A. Stremmelaar , email a.stremmelaar@hum.leidenuniv.nl### Remarks