6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL
Undergraduate - Unit
Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.
Faculty
Organisational Unit
Politics and International Relations
Chief examiner(s)
Associate Professor Benjamin MacQueen
Coordinator(s)
Associate Professor Benjamin MacQueen
Unit guides
Prerequisites
Twelve credit points of first-year Arts units.
Prohibitions
ATS3698
Synopsis
The unit will examine the interplay of external and internal factors in shaping the modern political environment of the Middle East. Starting with an overview of the establishment of the state system during and after the colonial period, this unit examines, in depth, the emergence of the modern state system, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Middle East during the Cold War, the repeated conflicts in Afghanistan, the Islamic Revolution in Iran, external intervention such as the 1990-91 Gulf War and the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq, and the unrest that has swept the region since early 2011. In addition, this unit will unpack key thematic issues such as political Islam, democratisation, and human rights.
Outcomes
Upon completion of the unit, students will have:
- Deepened their understanding of the relationship between the great powers and Middle Eastern societies.
- Understood the significance of major events for relations between the Muslim Middle East and the West, primarily the United States.
- Identified, analysed and evaluated the dynamics of relations between the internal politics of the Middle East and external factors.
- Gained sufficient information and research skills to formulate their own essay questions.
- Developed their own views on the prospects of relations between the Muslim Middle East and the United States.
- Gained a holistic appreciation of international relations and will be in a position to apply that analytical tool to the study of other international relations units.
- Improved their written skills by producing two well-reasoned and well-documented essays.
Assessment
Within semester assessment: 60% + Exam: 40%
Workload requirements
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
See also Unit timetable information