Module: Politics of the Middle East & North Africa

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Politics of the Middle East & North Africa
Module Code	LG574 (ITS) / POL1085 (Banner)
Faculty	Humanities & Social Sciences	School	Law & Government
Module Co-ordinator	Paola Rivetti
Module Teachers	Iain McMenamin, Niamh Gaynor, Walt Kilroy
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	10
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

None
Array

Description

The course introduces students to the complexity of the politics of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In particular, the course will explore three major themes. First, it will examine the modern social and political history of the Middle East and North Africa with a particular focus on state formation, the politics of political change and popular mass mobilizations. Secondly, following on from previous discussions, the course will examine the major political ideologies that have developed along the regional history and in connection with transnational intellectual networks. Thirdly, the course will deal with the international politics of the region with a specific focus on Israel and Palestine.

Learning Outcomes

1. Explain political events and phenomena in the region
2. Understand the role and functions of authoritarian structures of governance
3. Understand political Islam and contrast different types of it
4. Apply key concepts and theories of political science to the Middle East and North Africa.
5. Analyse regional events in the context of theories of international politics
6. To exchange ideas and defend akward points of view.
7. Examine major concepts and puzzles that exist in Middle East and North Africa international politics

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	24	No Description
Independent Study	224	No Description
Total Workload: 248

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Report(s)	n/a	10%	Every Week
Essay	n/a	45%	Once per semester
Reflective journal	n/a	45%	Once per semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Durac, Vincent, and Francesco Cavatorta: 2015, Politics and Governance in the Middle East, Palgrave Macmillan,
Kraetschmar, Hendrik, and Paola Rivetti (eds), 201: 2018, Islamists and the Politics of the Arab Uprisings: Governance, Pluralisation and Contention, Edinburgh University Press,
Ellen Lust (ed.): 2010, The Middle East, CQ Press,

Other Resources

None