COURSE UNIT TITLE

: GREAT POWER POLITICS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

DEGREE PROGRAMMES

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
UIR 4112 GREAT POWER POLITICS IN THE MIDDLE EAST ELECTIVE 3 0 0 5

Offered By

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (UOLP-SUNY ALBANY)

Level of Course Unit

First Cycle Programmes (Bachelor's Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASISTANT PROFESSOR IREM AŞKAR KARAKIR

Offered to

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (UOLP-SUNY ALBANY)

Course Objective

The main objective of this course is to acquaint students with the dynamics of great power politics in the Middle East. Historically, the powers with super and/or great status got involved in the region s affairs with a view to promoting and protecting their various material and ideational interests. This course intends to identify those powers and their interests as well as their interaction with the local actors from the collapse of the Ottoman Empire onwards.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   To explain the dynamics and rationale of the involvement of the Great Britain and France in the Middle East between WWI and WWII in order to reveal the colonial background and its impact.
2   To describe and explain the Cold War policies/strategies and instruments of the USA and the Soviet Union towards the Middle East in order to demonstrate the salience of the region in the wider theatre of the Cold War.
3   To describe and explain the post-Cold War policies of the USA towards the Persian Gulf and the peace process in order to expose the major, if not the key, role played by that super power in the perpetuation (or alternatively resolution) of the conflicts in question.
4   To examine comparatively the post-Cold War democracy promotion policies of the USA and the European Union towards the region in order to identify the objectives, instruments and impact of each.
5   To describe and explain the involvement of the rising powers, particularly China and Russia, in the region's economy in order to demonstrate the rationale and strategy involved.
6   To identify the old and new regional powers (both Arab and non-Arab), and explain the increasing involvement of the new ones in the regional politics to demonstrate the rationale and strategy involved.
7   To develop the skill to place issues in larger contexts
8   To use and develop the skill to make power-point presentations in class-room.
9   To develop the skill to engage in discussions with the rest of co-learners as well as the lecturer by using critical and reasoned arguments.

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 The construction of the Westphalian state system in the Middle East by the Great Britain and France in the post-WWI era
2 The Middle East in the Cold War era: the US and the Arab-Israeli conflict
3 The Middle East in the Cold War era: the US and the Persian Gulf
4 The Middle East in the Cold War era: the objectives, strategies and instruments of the Soviet Union
5 The US and the Gulf in the post-Cold War period - I
6 The US and the Gulf in the post-Cold War period - II
7 The US and the Peace Process
8 Democracy promotion in the Middle East by the US
9 Democracy promotion in the Middle East by the European Union
10 Russian and Chinese policies in the Middle East in the post-Cold War era
11 The rising regional powers in the post-2003 period: Iran - objectives, strategies and instruments
12 The rising regional powers in the post-2003 period: Turkey - objectives, strategies and instruments

Recomended or Required Reading



Various book chapters, articles and media material.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

1. Lecture
2. Presentation
3. Participation

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE MIDTERM EXAM
2 PRS PRESENTATION
3 PAR PARTICIPATION
4 FIN FINAL EXAM
5 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE MTE*0.35+PRS*0.20+PAR*0.10+FIN*0.35
6 RST RESIT
7 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE(RESIT) MTE*0.35+PRS*0.20+PAR*0.10+RST*0.35


Further Notes About Assessment Methods

1. In-class midterm essay exam
2. In-class final essay exam
3. Presentation
4. Participation

Assessment Criteria

The learner will describe and explain:

* the invention of the Middle East by Great Britain and France in the interwar period;
* the policies and instruments of the USA and the Soviet Union along with the impact of the Cold War on the region;
* the interests and policies of the USA towards the Persian Gulf in the post-Cold War period;
* the interests and policies of the USA vis-à-vis the peace process;
* the democracy promotion policies of the USA and the EU towards the region;
* the recent involvement of Russia and China in the region; and
* the rationale and instruments of the region's own powers.

2. Will use IT knowledge to prepare power-point presentations.
3. Will be able to express views in a clear, precise and self-confident manner.
4. Will be able to make critical and reasoned argument.
5. Will use library and internet sources.

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules


1. Attending at least 70 % of lectures is mandatory.
2. Plagiarism of any type will result in disciplinary action.
3. Participation in class discussions is required.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

sevilayz.aksoy@deu.edu.tr
0232-3018205

Office Hours

to be announced later.

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 12 3 36
Preparation for midterm exam 1 10 10
Preparation for final exam 1 10 10
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 12 5 60
Preparing presentations 1 5 5
Midterm 1 1,5 2
Final 1 1,5 2
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 125

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11PO.12PO.13
LO.15
LO.25
LO.35
LO.45
LO.55
LO.65
LO.75
LO.85
LO.95

CONTACT INFORMATION
Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Cumhuriyet Bulvarı No: 144 35210 Alsancak / İZMİR
Phone: +90(232) 412 12 12 - Fax: +90 (232) 464 81 35

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