documentation. Academic Integrity Academic integrity is required of all students. Ignorance of what constitutes plagiarism and violations of academic integrity do not excuse guilt of committing these offenses. If parts of someone else’s work are used directly (paraphrased or quoted) without acknowledgement, this constitutes plagiarism. If you are unsure of what plagiarism is or how to identify your sources, ask the course instructor or consult a style manual. Plagiarism is cheating, to the detriment of both the university and fellow students. Cases of minor plagiarism will normally result in a major reduction in the assignment grade. More severe cases will result in a grade of F, and will be reported to the Faculty with a recommendation for the strongest possible disciplinary action. To avoid committing any offenses, intentional or not, see the academic integrity code: . SAS CORE LEARNING GOALS MET BY THIS COURSE i. Explain and be able to assess the relationship among assumptions, method, evidence, arguments, and theory in social and historical analysis. k. Explain the development of some aspect of a society or culture over time, including the history of ideas or history of science. m. Understand different theories about human culture, social identity, economic entities, political systems, and other forms of social organization. n. Apply concepts about human and social behaviour to particular questions or situations. Grading Rubric Participation and Classroom Conduct Participation is a significant part of your grade in this class. You are expected to come to class prepared to contribute actively to classroom discussions and activities. This will not only enhance your own learning experience but the experience of your fellow students. Good participation entails not only speaking and sharing your thoughts on a regular basis, but also being considerate and respecting the views of others. To earn high points in the participation part of the final grade, students will have demonstrated their awareness of the different functions of classroom comments by: Varying their discussion strategies, Considering what they say before they say it, Taking intellectual risks, and Always respecting the feelings of peers by not interrupting classmates while speaking and acknowledging interesting ideas. Any successful learning experience requires mutual respect on the part of the student and the instructor. Neither instructor nor student should be subject to others’ behavior that is rude,
Required Books Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 4th edition), (Paperback) ISBN 1-58826-9108. Bassam Haddad, Business Networks: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience in Syria (Stanford: 2012), (Paperback) ISBN 9780804785068. Lisa Wedeen, Peripheral Visions: Publics, Power, and Performance in Yemen (Chicago: 2008), (Paperback) ISBN: 0226877914. Asef Bayat, Life as Politics: How Ordinary People Change the Middle East (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2nd edition, 2013), ISBN . Provisional Course Outline Introduction to Middle East Politics The Middle East: An Overview of Salient Issues and Themes Classic Orientalism and Other “Essentialisms”: The Study of the “East” Arab and Middle Eastern Historical and Cultural Background (Parts I and II) Politics, the State, and Authoritarian Rule Political Economy of (Post-Colonial) Development Religion and Politics: The Rise and Use of Political Islam, and Islamist Parties Social Dynamics: Family and Women The Israel-Palestine Conflict Terrorism and the Industry of Terrorism: The Arab/Muslim World in Context Case-Study: The Tunisian Uprising Case-Study: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience in Syria Case-Study: Democratic Practices in Yemen Session 1 (September 4): The Argument and Organization of the Class No Readings Session 2 (September 8): The Middle East: An Overview Readings: Deborah J. Gerner, Chapter 1, “Introduction,” in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2004). [Text]