Description:
Upheaval and dramatic change have shaken many countries in the Middle East in recent years. Was this fate inevitable? What forces laid the groundwork for it? What alternative courses might yet be charted out? And what lies in store? Will demographic, social, economic, and other regional developments provoke violence or usher in newfound political stability? This course introduces students to the politics of the region through the lens of important contemporary developments.
Schedule
The timetables are available through MyTimetable (see the button in the upper right corner).
Teaching method
A two-hour combined lecture and seminar, once per week.
Assessment Method
Grades are based on:
In-class participation (10%)
Quiz (10%)
Film analysis essay (20%)
Country portfolio (30%)
Country paper (30%)
Reading List
Course material will be made available through Brightspace.
In addition, useful reference sources include:
Lust, Ellen, ed. 2023. The Middle East. 16th ed. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press.
Cleveland, William L. and Martin Bunton. 2016. A History of the Modern Middle East. 6th ed. Boulder: Westview Press.
Hourani, Albert. 1991. A History of the Arab Peoples. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Owen, Roger. 2004. State, Power, and Politics in the Making of the Modern Middle East. 3rd ed. London: Routledge.
Registration
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Registration Exchange and Study Abroad students
Exchange and Study Abroad students, please see the Exchange students website for information on how to apply.
Please note that there is limited capacity for this course
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer(s) (listed in the right information bar). For questions about enrolment, contact the Student Services Centre: ssc@leiden.edu.