| School/Faculty/Institute | Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences | ||||
| Course Code | IR 325 | ||||
| Course Title in English | Contemporary Middle East Politics | ||||
| Course Title in Turkish | Cagdas Orta Dogu Politikasi | ||||
| Language of Instruction | EN | ||||
| Type of Course | Flipped Classroom | ||||
| Level of Course | Introductory | ||||
| Semester | Fall | ||||
| Contact Hours per Week |
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| Estimated Student Workload | 136 hours per semester | ||||
| Number of Credits | 5 ECTS | ||||
| Grading Mode | Standard Letter Grade | ||||
| Pre-requisites | None | ||||
| Expected Prior Knowledge | None | ||||
| Co-requisites | None | ||||
| Registration Restrictions | Only Undergraduate Students | ||||
| Overall Educational Objective | To understand the historical underpinnings of contemporary Middle East politics, economy, and international relations. | ||||
| Course Description | The Middle East has long attracted great power interest due to its natural resources and geographic location between Asia and Europe, but the region’s peoples have also long competed with each other for power and influence. This course uses a historical and thematic approach to understand how both outside powers and regional forces have established the political, economic and diplomatic foundations of the contemporary Middle East. It starts by introducing students to the region’s geography and demography and then reaches back to the early nineteenth century to explain the onset of Western imperialism amidst a declining Ottoman Empire. The course proceeds chronologically thereafter into the twentieth century, exploring themes of European colonialism, state formation, Arab nationalism, the Cold War, oil, the Arab-Israeli conflict, war, autocracy, and political Islam. | ||||
| Course Description in Turkish | Ortadoğu doğal kaynakları ve coğrafi konumu nedeniyle tarih boyunca büyük güçlerin ilgisini çekmiştir. Bölgede yaşayan toplumlar da birbirleriyle güç ve nüfuz edinmek için yarışmışlardır. Bu ders bölge devletlerinin ve bölge dışı güçlerin Ortadoğu’nun siyasi ekonomik temellerini nasıl attığını tarihsel ve tematik bir yaklaşımla vermektedir. Bölgenin coğrafi ve demografik özelliklerinden başlayarak Batı emperyalizmini Osmanlı döneminin çöküş döneminden itibaren ele almaktadır. Kronolojik olarak ele aldığı konular koloniyalizm, devlet oluşum süreçleri, Arap milliyetçiliği, Soğuk Savaş, petrol, Arap-İsrail çatışması, otokrasi ve Siyasal İslam’dır. |
Course Learning Outcomes and CompetencesUpon successful completion of the course, the learner is expected to be able to:1) understand the role of Western imperialism in shaping the Middle East; 2) analyze how Middle East states were forged individually and in relation to one another; 3) discern the major fault lines and development of political economy in the region since the early nineteenth century; 4) appraise current developments in the region based on past behavior, historical interests, and national imperatives. |
| Program Learning Outcomes/Course Learning Outcomes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1) Thorough knowledge of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology. | ||||
| 2) Understanding of and ability to apply essential research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and data interpretation. | ||||
| 3) Competence to use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry and a scientific approach to solving problems related to behavior and mental processes. | ||||
| 4) Understanding and ability to apply psychological principles, skills and values in personal, social, and organizational contexts. | ||||
| 5) Ability to weigh evidence, to tolerate ambiguity, and to reflect other values that underpin psychology as a discipline. | ||||
| 6) Internalization and dissemination of professional ethical standards. | ||||
| 7) Demonstration of competence in information technologies, and the ability to use computer and other technologies for purposes related to the pursuit of knowledge in psychology and the broader social sciences. | ||||
| 8) Skills to communicate the knowledge of psychological science effectively, in a variety of formats, in both Turkish and in English (in English, at least CEFR B2 level). | ||||
| 9) Recognition, understanding, and respect for the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity. | ||||
| 10) Recognition for the need for, and the skills to pursue, lifelong learning, inquiry, and self-improvement. | ||||
| 11) Ability to formulate critical hypotheses based on psychological theory and literature, and design studies to test those hypotheses. | ||||
| 12) Ability to acquire knowledge independently, and to plan one’s own learning. | ||||
| 13) Demonstration of advanced competence in the clarity and composition of written work and presentations. |
| N None | S Supportive | H Highly Related |
| Program Outcomes and Competences | Level | Assessed by | |
| 1) | Thorough knowledge of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology. | N | |
| 2) | Understanding of and ability to apply essential research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and data interpretation. | N | |
| 3) | Competence to use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry and a scientific approach to solving problems related to behavior and mental processes. | H | Exam,HW,Participation |
| 4) | Understanding and ability to apply psychological principles, skills and values in personal, social, and organizational contexts. | N | |
| 5) | Ability to weigh evidence, to tolerate ambiguity, and to reflect other values that underpin psychology as a discipline. | N | |
| 6) | Internalization and dissemination of professional ethical standards. | N | |
| 7) | Demonstration of competence in information technologies, and the ability to use computer and other technologies for purposes related to the pursuit of knowledge in psychology and the broader social sciences. | N | |
| 8) | Skills to communicate the knowledge of psychological science effectively, in a variety of formats, in both Turkish and in English (in English, at least CEFR B2 level). | N | |
| 9) | Recognition, understanding, and respect for the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity. | S | Participation |
| 10) | Recognition for the need for, and the skills to pursue, lifelong learning, inquiry, and self-improvement. | S | HW,Participation |
| 11) | Ability to formulate critical hypotheses based on psychological theory and literature, and design studies to test those hypotheses. | N | |
| 12) | Ability to acquire knowledge independently, and to plan one’s own learning. | S | Exam,HW |
| 13) | Demonstration of advanced competence in the clarity and composition of written work and presentations. | H | Exam,HW |
| Prepared by and Date | AYŞEGÜL KİBAROĞLU , January 2024 |
| Course Coordinator | AYŞEGÜL KİBAROĞLU |
| Semester | Fall |
| Name of Instructor |
| Week | Subject |
| 1) | Introduction: Geography and Demographics |
| 2) | Islam, Western Imperialism and Orientalism |
| 3) | First Wave: North Africa (Country Focus: Algeria) |
| 4) | Oil and Arab Revolt (Country Focus: Jordan) |
| 5) | British-French Mandatory Rule (Country Focus: Lebanon) |
| 6) | Nation State Formation (Country Focus: Egypt) |
| 7) | The Cold War (Country Focus: Turkey) |
| 8) | The Arab-Israeli Conflict (Country Focus: Israel) |
| 9) | Mid-term |
| 10) | Pan-Arab Nationalism and Disunity (Country Focus: Syria) |
| 11) | Oil Crises and US Entry (Country Focus: Saudi Arabia) |
| 12) | Rise of Political Islam (Country Focus: Iran) |
| 13) | Lebanese Civil War and Iran-Iraq War (Country Focus: Iraq) |
| 14) | End of Cold War and Neoconservatism |
| Required/Recommended Readings | William L. Cleveland and Martin Bunton, A History of the Middle East (Colorado: Westview Press, 2013). Eugene Rogan, The Arabs: A History (London: Penguin Books, 2009). | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Instructional strategy and expectations for both students and instructional staff that follow from this. Student work modes (independently and/or in teams). Any work with the outside community – geographic or industry sector. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Homework and Projects | - | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Laboratory Work | - | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Computer Use | - | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other Activities | - | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Assessment Methods |
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| Course Administration |
aysegul.kibaroglu@mef.edu.tr Regular attendance and participation in class discussion Two Power Point presentations (minimum 5 slides and 10 minutes in length) that answer the week’s discussion question. These should be emailed to the instructor before the class begins and presented in class and must draw on class readings, but outside sources can be used to augment them. Midterm, in-class, open-book, open-note, open-presentation, “internet-off” exam. More details about the exam will be discussed in class. Final, in-class, open-book, open-note, open-presentation, “internet-off” exam. More details about the exam will be discussed in class. Academic dishonesty and plagiarism: YÖK Disciplinary Regulation. |
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| Activity | No/Weeks | Hours | Calculation | ||||
| No/Weeks per Semester | Preparing for the Activity | Spent in the Activity Itself | Completing the Activity Requirements | ||||
| Course Hours | 14 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 98 | ||
| Presentations / Seminar | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 16 | ||
| Midterm(s) | 1 | 8 | 2 | 10 | |||
| Final Examination | 1 | 10 | 2 | 12 | |||
| Total Workload | 136 | ||||||
| Total Workload/25 | 5.4 | ||||||
| ECTS | 5 | ||||||