PSPA 311 International Politics and the Middle East Syllabus 2016

PSPA 311 International Politics and the Middle East Professor Waleed Hazbun Spring 2013 Office hours: Tuesdays 2pm -4pm Thursdays Office: Jesup Hall, Room No. 201 3:30 pm -6:00 pm Nicely 318

2021

This postgraduate course aims to address the major issues in the study of International Relations of the modern Middle East. Attending to profound regional change shaped by shifting geopolitics and capitalism, and the evolving politics and societies in the 20 th and 21 st centuries, the course will focus on a broad range of themes including state formation, war and conflict, political economy, identity, authoritarianism and democratization as well as foreign policies of regional and extra-regional actors in the making of the Middle East. It aspires to acquaint students with a comprehensive vista of the actors, issues and transformation of regional politics, bring together IR and Area Studies perspectives, and provide those who would like to pursue further studies on Middle East politics with the essential knowledge of the region.

This seminar explores how the politics of the Middle East, US policy in the Middle East, and the Middle East as a regional system have been understood and represented through the lens of international relations theory and scholarship. The seminar develops a multilayered approach to understanding the politics of security/insecurity and the shifting regional (dis)order by integrating the role of system-level global powers, regional and transnational actors, and domestic socio- economic and ideological forces to traces shifting patterns since the end of World War II.

Student Hours: Wednesdays 1pm to 2pm via Zoom or by appointment

Course Description This course is an invitation to reconsider our preconceived notions about the modern Middle East, by way of introduction to the rich history of the region since 1900. You will learn about the legacies of the Ottoman Empire and of Pan-Arabism in the era of decolonization. We will also pay close attention to the lingering involvement of the US in the region, from its support for Israel, the politics of oil in the Gulf to the occupation of Iraq and beyond. We will examine the impact this presence has had over the lives of millions in the region and beyond. This course will also focus on state violence: the authoritarian state (especially Syria and Iraq), and the ongoing Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories. Significantly, I will highlight the social and political struggles of folks and consider the dynamics of popular uprisings, revolutions and rebellions, both failed and successful ones. Course Evaluation 4 Reading quizzes (Blackboard) (5% each) = 20% Map quiz (in class) 5%

is study has aimed at increasing familiarity of students with regard to major issues in Middle East politics, and providing a framework that would help to analyze regional politics. In this regard, there are two points to be considered. e first one is the necessity of addressing an issue regarding the region th- rough a synchronic and comparative perspective. e second is the fact that any issue addressed in political analyses is a part of a complicated process shaped by interaction of a number of factors in a specific place and historical context. In this study, firstly main factors that are e ective in Middle East politics, such as physical and human geography, economy and history are examined. In the second part, leading actors that play criti- cal roles in regional politics, i.e. states, international organiza- tions and extra-regional powers, and the roles of these actors in Middle East politics are discussed. Lastly, contextual factors that emerge in the Middle East, and regional and global dyna- mics are addressed brie y. It also addressed the question how does structural factors, actors in the region and regional and global dynamics a ect each other.

Mail: 313 355 5115

2022

What role should the US play in the Middle East? For over two decades the US has sought to forge, through diplomatic and military means, regional order in the Middle East. The legacies of this effort are unclear as scholars and policymakers still debate what interests were at stake and what goals were achieved. Regardless, today US policymakers and citizens face the pressing question of what the future role of the US should be in the region. Should it withdraw commitments from a region of declining strategic importance (and maybe refocus on great power rivalry), or should it, instead, strengthen ties with regional allies (like Saudi Arabia and Israel) to contain remaining threats and the influence of rival external powers? To better understand the stakes and challenges, this seminar examines US efforts at ordering the region and explores the impact of past and ongoing conflicts on both the security interests of regional states as well as the “human security” of societies across the region. It then considers the changing dynamics of regional politics and considers alternative options for the US policy towards the region.

This MA graduate seminar provides a survey of the discipline of international politics and contemporary research in the field. It is intended to serve as a 'gateway' course providing a foundation for other international politics courses. In addition to covering central theoretical perspectives in international relations theory, the course introduces students to contemporary debates in international politics and policy with an emphasis on topics and themes relating to the Middle East. Students develop critical thinking and analytical writing skills through close reading of key texts and writing exercises.