Postgraduate Course: The Middle East in International Relations (PGSP11275)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The main aims of this course are to: 1) provide substantive knowledge on the international relations of the Middle East (ME); 2) familiarise students with International Relations theories and their applicability to the ME; and 3) familiarise students with the foreign policies of states and non-state actors in the Middle East. The course will provide an an introduction to the ME and a historical examination of the origins of the state and state-system in the ME. It will examine the main theoretical approaches and conceptual tools relating to the study of ME International Relations. |
| Course description |
The course aims to give students a thorough grounding the contemporary international relations of the Middle East, integrated with historical understanding and a critical grasp of the relevant debates in IR theory as a sub-discipline of social science. While providing an in-depth understanding of the particular themes and events that distinguish the Middle East, the course will also set these within the context of transformations at the level of global politics and the Global South: a central aim of the course is for students to understand Middle East IR not just as foreign policy process but as social phenomena.
Outline Content
1. Understanding the Middle East as a Region
2. The Formation of the Contemporary Middle East
3. States and Interest
4. Imperialism, Dependency and Revolution
5. Norms and Identity
6. Gender and Sexuality
7. Postcoloniality, Relationality and ¿Global IR¿
8. Internationalised Civil Wars
9. External Powers in the Middle East
10. Interstate Relations and Foreign Policies
The course is taught through a two-hour weekly seminar. Emphasis is placed on the students self-study and critical engagement with the material. Students are expected to read at least the core readings each week for the seminar.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | N/A |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 30 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
There are two components of assessment for this course: one short essay (1500 words, 40%) and one long essay (3000 words, 60%).
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| Feedback |
Students will have two opportunities to reflect on the feedback received for their performance in the course. These are the book review, for which the deadline occurs early in the course, and the essay, which has a deadline later in the course. The essay is a more substantial piece of work than the book review, so students can use their reflection on the feedback they receive for it to build on and improve their performance in the essay. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Have a substantive and academically informed understanding of the Middle East international relations
- Have an understanding of International Relations theories pertaining to the region
- Develop an independent and critical knowledge of ME International Relations
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Reading List
| https://eu01.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/leganto/public/44UOE_INST/lists?courseCode=PGSP112752023-4SV1SEM1&auth=SAML |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Ewan Stein
Tel: (0131 6)50 4264
Email: ewan.stein@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Casey Behringer
Tel: (0131 6)50 2456
Email: Casey.behringer@ed.ac.uk |
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