Note: the first meeting for this course will take place on Friday, September 8, 10-11 hs, in Wijkplaats 2/2. Presence of students of both Theories and Methods of Middle East and Islamic Studies 1 and Theories and Methods of Middle East and Islamic Studies 2 is required.
Admission requirements
Admission to the MA Middle Eastern Studies, the MA Middle Eastern Studies (research) or the MA International Relations, is required. Students of the MA Middle Eastern Studies have priority. Students from the other MA programmes can only be admitted if there are places left. Please, contact the student advisor or Dr. C.J.V. Henderson, if you are interested in taking this course but NOT a student of one of the above-mentioned MA programmes.
Description
This course is designed to introduce students to the theoretical foundations, methodological debates, and methods engaged in Middle East studies. This course has two central aims. The first aim is to encourage students to think about broad questions related to epistemology, ontology and methodology in relation to the design of their own thesis projects in particular, and research on the Middle East more broadly. The second aim is to train students in the research design process. In addition to preparing them for their own research, the research methods course exposes students to methodological debates and approaches in order to help them develop the ability to critically assess academic work. Crucially, the course encourages students to engage and confront the methodological challenges which arise in a multidisciplinary context and think constructively on the historical evolution and trajectory of research on the Middle East.
Course objectives
Understand epistemological, ontological, and methodological divides and issues in research on the Middle East
Write and present clear research questions and summaries
Learn how to design an effective and feasible research project that contributes to studies on the Middle East
Recognize appropriate methods for diverse research projects
Utilise ontological and methodological debates in critiquing research on the Middle East
Timetable
Mode of instruction
- Seminar
Attendance and active participation are obligatory for seminars. Students are required to prepare for and attend all sessions. The convenors need to be informed without delay of any classes missed for a good reason (i.e. due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness, family issues, problems with residence permits, the Dutch railways in winter, etc.). In these cases it is up to the discretion of the convener(s) of the course whether or not the missed class will have to be made up with an extra assignment. The maximum of such absences during a semester is two. Being absent without notification and/or more than two times can result in exclusion from the term end exams and a failing grade for the course.
Course Load
EC: 10 (= 280 hours)
Attending seminars: 30 hours
Reading / studying material: 125 hours
Completing assignments: 125 hours
Assessment method
Assessment
Engagement, Short Reaction Papers and Paper.
Weighing
I. Engagement 40% (Ongoing)
a. Participation (15%)
b. Research Question Workshop (10%)
c. Method Selection Workshop (15%)
II. Short Reaction Papers 20%
III. Paper: Methodological Book Review 40%
(The paper deadline mentioned in uSis is a fictional date for administration purposes only. The actual date will be communicated by the convenor of the course.)
Resit
In order to pass the course, students must obtain an overall mark of 5.50 (=6) or higher.
The course is an integrated whole. The final examination and the assignments must be completed in the same academic year. No partial marks can be carried over into following years.
Exam review
Students can review their papers and the method of marking. How and when a review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results (in BB) at the latest
Blackboard
Reading list
The booktitles and / or syllabi to be used in the course, where it can be purchased and how this literature should be studied beforehand.
REQUIRED TEXTS
- Edward Said. Orientalism. 1977.
- Zachary Lockman, Contending Visions of the Middle East, Second Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2010
- Alan Bryman, Social Research Methods 4th edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012
- Other course readings are available in electronic format through the library catalogue or online.
TENTATIVE SEMINAR TOPICS
1. Introduction: Demystifying Methods
2. The Philosophy of Science, and Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences
3. Formulating the Research Question: Causal Ontologies
4. Unpacking the Research Question: On Exceptionalism, Structure and Agency in the Studying the Middle East
5. Approaching the Middle East I: Western Power and Knowledge of the Middle East
6. Approaching the Middle East II: Gender and Orientalism
7. Approaching the Middle East I|I: Qualitative and Quantitative Research on the Region
8. Histories from Above and Below
9. Problem Solving and Critical Theory / Proposal writing and the Literature review
10. Analysing Research I: Case Studies, Process Tracing, and Historical Analysis
11. Analysing Research II: From Interviews to Ethnography
12. Research Ethics
Registration
Students are required to register through uSis. To avoid mistakes and problems, students are strongly advised to register in uSis through the activity number which can be found in the timetable in the column under the heading “Act.nbr.”. General information about uSis is available in English and Dutch.
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Studeren à la carte nor Contractonderwijs is possible for this course.
Contact
Remarks
Students with disabilities
The university is committed to supporting and accommodating students with disabilities as stated in the university protocol (especially pages 3-5). Students should contact Fenestra Disability Centre at least four weeks before the start of their courses to ensure that all necessary academic accommodations can be made in time conform the abovementioned protocol.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to be familiar with Leiden University policies on “plagiarism and academic integrity”: http://media.leidenuniv.nl/legacy/plagiarism.pdf. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If you submit any work with your name affixed to it, it is assumed to be your own work with all sources used properly indicated and documented in the text (with quotations and/or citations).