POL 383 - Politics of the Middle East and North Africa
Announcements
Paper #3 is assigned (details here) and due on April 14.
Click here for instructions for the press conference.
Please review the class calendar below for updates.
Instructor Ian Hopper
Class Meetings: Wednesdays, 6:45-9:30pm; Ballston 3058
Class Virtual meetings - only during MU mandatory virtual learning: Google Meet link
Full Syllabus Link
Appointments: I am also happy to meet with students virtually to discuss class concepts or answer questions. Please e-mail me for an appointment.
Book: MacQueen, Benjamin. An Introduction to Middle East Politics, Second Edition. SAGE Publishing, 2018. It is available in paperback or Kindle versions, found here.
The course is taught as a combination of classroom instruction, discussion, and individual and group projects. Active student participation is a requirement. Classes will be held online only if MU mandates virtual learning. Students who are ill should not come to class, but must contact me as soon as possible to make sure they do not fall behind.
GRADING POLICY
Course grades will be based on a total of the following:
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Article summary: 10 points. An in-class presentation of an academic article as assigned.
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Three short papers: 20 points each, 60 total. A 2-3 page concise and well-edited paper providing information or advocating for action on a contemporary MENA politics issue.
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News updates: 5 points. Each class, 2-3 students will be asked at random to present and discuss a recent news article about a topic affecting the region.
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Elevator Briefings: 10 points. Students will provide a 5-minute oral “elevator briefing” on a pressing foreign policy issue in the region.
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Press Conference: 15 points. Students in assigned groups will prepare for and deliver a foreign policy statement in the form of a press conference, with one student delivering points and others acting as international press.
There are two extra credit opportunities:
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Up to 3 points for sustained contributions to class discussions
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Up to 3 points for contributing edits to another student’s paper (1 point per paper).
Tuesday, January 18, 2022 is the last day to drop a course without academic record.
Friday, March 18, 2022 is the last day to withdraw from a class with a grade of W.
CLASS SCHEDULE
Wednesdays, 6:45-9:30pm; Ballston 3058
This class is presented as a seminar course, in which student reading, research, and presentation will represent a large part of each class session. Readings from the MacQueen book will supplement other assigned readings (mostly academic and news articles, partial list below) posted each week. Each assigned reading (other than the textbook) will be presented by a student, and all students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss the week’s readings.
Class Calendar
Readings should be completed before the class session under which they are listed. “Chapter” refers to a chapter in the assigned textbook. Additional short readings outside the textbook may be assigned periodically, and will be posted online and e-mailed. Most readings (other than the textbook) will be presented by a student for a grade. This is a partial list of readings, and will be updated in advance of each class.
Week 1 – January 12
Class Introduction
Defining the Middle East and North Africa, and Foreign Policy mechanics
Acting Assistant Secretary of State Joey Hood, remarks at MEI panel “100 Days In: Assessing New Pathways for the Biden Administration,” April 29, 2021
https://www.mei.edu/events/100-days-assessing-new-pathways-biden-administration
In Class Activity: Identifying broad U.S. interests in the MENA region
Week 2 – January 19
U.S. Interests in the Middle East
Reading: Policy Recommendations for a Sustainable Way Forward, Middle East Initiative
https://www.mei.edu/middle-east-policy-recommendations (Briefing Book
In Class Activity: Students will be responsible for presenting policy recommendations on a particular country and leading a discussion
Week 3 – January 26
No class; Independent Foreign Assistance study
Week 4 – February 2
Economic development and the resource curse - Slides
Speaker: Matthew Amitrano, Foreign Affairs Officer, Department of State
Reading: MacQueen Chapter 6
“Twilight of the Petrostates,” The Economist, July 18, 2020.
Week 5 – February 9
Cold War in the Middle East
Reading: MacQueen Chapter 3
What was the Iran-Contra Affair?, Teen Vogue, November 18, 2021
In Class Activity: Suez Crisis Negotiation
Week 6 – February 16
Arab-Israeli Peace
Reading: MacQueen Chapter 5
Aaron David Miller, “Lost in the Woods: A Camp David Retrospective,” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, July 13, 2020.
In Class Activity: Paper #1 Clearing
Week 7 – February 23
Authoritarianism and Human Rights -- Slides
Reading: MacQueen Chapter 8
Lana Baydas, "Rethinking U.S. Foreign Policy for the Middle East and North Africa," October 2021
Activity: "How to Become a Tyrant," Netflix
Paper #1 due Feb 24; Assign Paper #2
Week 8 – March 2
Elevator Briefings
Authoritarianism in Egypt: Read Politico article.
March 9 – No Class
Week 9 – March 16
Iraq and U.S. Military Intervention
Reading: MacQueen Chapter 10
"The Iraq War and WMDs," Washington Post, March 22, 2019
"The Gulf War 30 Years Later," War on the Rocks, September 9, 2020
Speaker: Mohammed al-Fityan, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Iraq
Week 10 – March 23
Syria and ISIS
Reading: MacQueen Chapter 11
"Why has the Syrian Civil War Lasted 10 Years?," BBC, March 2021.
"A Life in Limbo for the Wives and Children of ISIS Fighters," NPR, March 2022.
Speaker: Zehra Bell, Director for Iraq and Syria, National Security Council
Paper #2 due; Assign Paper #3
Week 11 – March 30
The Arab Spring
Reading: MacQueen Chapter 9
"Slap to a Man's Pride Set off Tumult in Tunisia," NY Times, Jan 2011.
"Women Play Vital Role in Egypt's Uprising," NPR, Feb 2011.
Activity: U.S. Foreign Service Questions (optional)
Week 12 – April 6
Iran and the JCPOA
“Time to Revive the Iran Nuclear Deal," The American Prospect, March 2022
"In Israel, Mike Pence says Future GOP Admin Will Rip Up any new Iran Deal,” Times of Israel, March 2022
Speaker: Danusia Hubah, Deputy Director, Office of Iranian Affairs, State Dept.
Week 13 – April 13
Great Power Competition – Russia and China
"A Brief Guide to Russia's Return to the Middle East," Carnegie, October 2019.
"As the U.S. Pulls Back from the Middle East, China Leans In," New York Times, February 2022
Activity: Discussing Press Conferences
Paper #3 due
Week 14 – April 20
Press Conferences - Murder Boards
Week 15 – April 27
Press Conferences