Admission requirements
Admission to the MA Middle Eastern Studies (research). Students from other programmes are kindly referred to the course description of regular MA course.
Students who do not have a background in Middle East studies or in the political economy of the Middle East are expected to read the following two books prior to the start of the course:
1. Melani Cammett, Ishac Diwan, Alan Richards, and John Waterbury. A Political Economy of the Middle East, 4th Edition. Boulder: Westview Press, 2015 (Available online via Leiden Library catalogue);
2. Adam Hanieh. Lineages of Revolt: Issues of Contemporary Capitalism in the Middle East. Chicago: Haymarket Books, 2013 (Available online via Leiden Library catalogue).
Description
This course analyses the Middle East in the Global Political Economy. Overall, it surveys the field of international political economy (IPE) and examines the interactions of the Middle East within the global economic order. It seeks to familiarise students with the various roles of commodities, labour, and finance across the region. In so doing, it not only examines that which is unique about the political economy of the region but also the ways in which the region is more integrated and less exceptional than often purported. The course begins with a theoretical orientation to the field of IPE, and proceeds to situate the region within the field in historical and contemporary debates. The remainder of the course progresses thematically, examining topics such as oil and energy markets, trade, financial crisis, labour, global value chains, and integration.
Course objectives
Understand the broad theoretical debates within the field of Global Political Economy
Evaluate the role of various Middle Eastern states in the GPE
Assess the impact of oil on the region
Examine flows of capital, labour, and technology across the region
Deepen understanding of the various economic challenges and opportunities facing the region, considering historical and potential future trajectories
Articulate how changes in the global economic order and technological innovation impact domestic, regional, and international economic development
Discuss historical and contemporary trends in the Middle East, and the region’s interactions with the global economic order
Analyse the impact of global, transnational, state, and non-state actors on domestic and regional development
Interpret the constraints, challenges, and prospects for greater economic integration
Critically identify and assess questions and developments relevant to IPE in the region, examine them with the scholarly rigor expected at the Research MA level, and formulate research questions and projects around these puzzles and problems
Apply knowledge gained to critically assess scholarship and IPE developments in the region, and effectively communicate their interpretations in written and verbal forms
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
- Seminar
Attendance and active participation are obligatory for seminars. Students are required to prepare for and attend all sessions.
Research MA students are expected to prepare by reading extra readings, labelled “recommended” in the syllabus, and by completing extra assignments (as described in the syllabus).
The convenors need to be informed without delay of any classes missed for a good reason (i.e. due to unforeseen circumstances). 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 will result in exclusion from the term end exams and a failing grade for the course.
Course Load
| Total course load: 10 EC x 28 hours | 280 hours |
|---|---|
| Attending seminars | 30 hours |
| Extra contact hours ResMA students | 6 hours |
| Reading / studying material | 125 hours |
| Completing assignments | 119 hours |
Assessment method
Assessment and weighing
| Partial Assessment | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Engagement (e.g. active, informed participation | 10% |
| Discussant duties | 15% |
| Presentation | 25% |
| Final paper | 50% |
In order to pass the course, students need a pass mark (“voldoende”, i.e. “5.50” or higher) for the final paper and for the course as a whole.
The research paper is written in two stages: a first version, on which the convener will offer feedback, and a final version. Feedback on the first version is conditional on this being handed in before the deadline. The grade will be determined on the basis of the final version only. (The paper deadline mentioned in uSis is for administrative purposes only. The actual date will be communicated by the convener.)
All categories of assessment must be completed in the same academic year. No partial marks can be carried over into following years.
Resit
Only if the total weighted average is 5.49 or lower and this is the result of a paper graded 5.49 or lower, a re-sit of the paper is possible (50%). In that case the convener of the course may decide to assign a (new) topic. The deadline for this version will be determined by the course convener, after consultation with the student.
A resit for other course components is not possible.
Inspection and feedback
If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
Articles and book chapters can be found on the library catalogue or online. The list of readings will be available in the course syllabus, on Brightspace.
Reading material:
Articles and book chapters can be found on the library catalogue or online. The list of readings will be available in the course syllabus, on Brightspace.
Students who do not have a background in Middle East studies or in the political economy of the Middle East are expected to read the following two books prior to the start of the course:
1. Melani Cammett, Ishac Diwan, Alan Richards, and John Waterbury. A Political Economy of the Middle East, 4th Edition. Boulder: Westview Press, 2015 (Available online via Leiden Library catalogue);
2. Adam Hanieh. Lineages of Revolt: Issues of Contemporary Capitalism in the Middle East. Chicago: Haymarket Books, 2013 (Available online via Leiden Library catalogue).
For the Research MA students additional reading will be determined by the convener at a later stage taking into account the students’ fields of interest. Extra sessions will be organized to discuss this extra literature.
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available on the website.
Registration Studeren à la carte en Contractonderwijs
Not applicable.
Contact
Education Administration Office de Vrieshof