Advanced Topics in Middle East & North African Studies (390-3-22)
Topic
Politics of the Middle East
Instructors
Wendy R Pearlman
8474912259
Scott Hall #204
Office Hours: http://www.polisci.northwestern.edu/people/core-faculty/wendy-pearlman.html
Meeting Info
Harris Hall 107: Tues, Thurs 3:30PM - 4:50PM
Overview of class
This course explores the comparative politics of the Middle East and North Africa. The first half of the course focuses on the historical and institutional context of politics and government. Here we examine the emergence of independent states, the consolidation of regimes, and patterns in the relationship between state, society, and economy. We compare explanations for the endurance of authoritarian regimes, examine the role of Islam in politics, and also look at the Iranian Revolution and Islamic Republic. The second half of the course concentrates on dynamics of mobilization and conflict. Here we explore the Arab uprisings that began in late 2010 and their aftermath, current challenges facing the search for stability and democracy in the region, the Syrian war, and the origins and evolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Learning Objectives
The goals of this course are to assist students (1) to acquire basic knowledge about the politics of the modern Middle East and North Africa; (2) to engage in critical reading and analysis of a range of sources; (3) to employ scholarly theories and concepts to enrich their nuanced analysis of current events in the region and debates about those events; and (4) to develop an appreciation for how politics in the region is shaped by history and institutions on the one hand and a dynamic multiplicity of identities and interests, on the other. Assignments are designed to assess progress toward the achievement of these goals.
Teaching Method
Lecture & discussion section
Class Materials (Required)
Michele Penner Angrist, ed. Politics and Society of the Contemporary Middle East, 3rd Edition (Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2019). ISBN 978-1-62637-805-6. [This newest edition is required] Sandy Tolan, The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East (New York: Bloomsbury, 2006). ISBN 978-1582343433. [Any edition is fine]
Class Attributes
Social & Behavioral Sciences Distro Area
Associated Classes
DIS - Harris Hall L28: Thurs 5:00PM - 5:50PM
DIS - Harris Hall L06: Thurs 5:00PM - 5:50PM
DIS - Annenberg Hall G32: Fri 11:00AM - 11:50AM
DIS - Locy Hall 214: Fri 11:00AM - 11:50AM