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Political Research Seminar (395-0-22)

Topic

Israel/Palestine

Instructors

Wendy Pearlman
8474912259
Scott Hall #204
Office Hours: http://www.polisci.northwestern.edu/people/core-faculty/wendy-pearlman.html

Meeting Info

Scott Hall 212: Thurs 9:00AM - 11:50AM

Overview of class

This course explores the history and politics of Israel, Palestine, and the Arab-Israeli conflict. We will study major events and issues in the development of the struggle over Israel/Palestine from its origins until the present. Among the topics we examine include a range of perspectives on questions such as the sources of violence, the rise and fall of the Oslo peace process, domestic political structures and processes, the role of regional and international actors, different conceptual lenses for describing and understanding the current reality, and prospects for the future.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will:

  1. Build sophisticated, nuanced knowledge and understanding about Israel, Palestine, and the Arab-Israeli conflict in both its historical and political dimensions;
  2. Enhance skills in critical reading by engaging with a range of sources, extracting key information and arguments from texts, comparing texts to each other, identifying how authors construct and demonstrate their ideas, and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of their work;
  3. Participate effectively in class discussions by preparing readings in advance and then, in seminar sessions, clearly communicating ideas in speech, carefully listening to and engaging with peers' interventions, and working collaboratively with the class to examine, evaluate, challenge, and reflect upon class materials;
  4. Gain advanced training in the major steps of producing political science research, from identifying a motivating question to collecting and analyzing information, assessing alternative explanations for the same phenomenon, and drawing conclusions that explain or interpret aspects of politics;
  5. Develop and demonstrate skills in original research and effective writing by producing a major independent research paper, typically 15-20 pages in length

Teaching Method

Discussion-based seminar

Evaluation Method

While subject to change, the expectation is that grades will be based on the following elements:

Attendance, preparation of readings, & class participation: 25%
Readings commentaries (3 papers; 5% each): 15%
Readings puzzle question (5 questions; 1% each): 5%
Interim paper-preparation assignments (3): 3%
Peer critique: 12%
Final paper: 40%

Class Materials (Required)

One book is required for purchase:

Abdel Monem Said Aly, Shai Feldman, and Khalil Shikaki, Arabs and Israelis: Conflict and Peacemaking in the Middle East, Second Edition (Bloomsbury Academic, 2022). ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1350321389 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1350321380 https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/arabs-and-israelis-9781350321380/

Class Attributes

Advanced Expression