POLI 426: The Middle East ThroughFilm
Coastal Carolina University
Dr. Suheir Daoud
Contact Information
Office: BRTH 355
Office Tel.: 843- 349-6513
Office Hours: MWF 12:00 noon-12:50pm, or by appointment.
Room: --
E-Mail: sdaoud@ coastal.edu
Catalog Description
POLI 426:The Middle East Through Film (3)(Prerequisite: POLI 101)Through a series of films, students will be exposed to a unique approach to understanding some of the Middle East’s most complex issues and become more familiar with the main actors, places and events of this region. The course will focus on the major current questions of Middle East politics including Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Oil and Wahhabism, the Iranian Revolution, the Arab Spring, refugees, terrorism and the rise of al-Qaida and the Islamic State.F,S.
Course Instructional Objectives
- To develop a greater understanding of the Middle East throughfilm
- To provide students with a unique approach to studying the Middle
East
- To provide students with and encourage analysis of the region
beyond traditional media assumptions
- To better understand the diversity of Middle Eastern political
regimes.
- To provide a foundation for Middle East main problems and dilemmas.
Student’s Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will beable to
- Identify the major actors in Middle Eastern politics
- Become more aware of contemporary Middle Eastern culture,
and political, social, and economic challenges
- Relate to the individual stories of the region’s peoples
- Identify the causes of war and peace in the Middle East
- Identify the main actors who shape/ed the region.
Grading Scale:
A = 90-100
B+ = 88-89
B = 80-87
C+ = 78-79
C = 70-77
D+ = 65-69
D = 60-64
F = 59 and below
Course Requirements
Your grade will be based on the following components:
30% Film Responses
20% Test I
10% Presentation
20% Final Test
10% Attendance
10% Reading Responses
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100% Total
While these films will constitute the backbone of this course, class time will additionally include short lectures and discussion of required reading. Coursework will primarily entail reading responses and a group project.
Tests
There will be two tests in this course including the final. Tests will cover material included in the assigned reading and class lectures. Each test will only include material covered up to each exam date. All students are expected to take the exams on the assigned dates.
Reading Responses
There will be five reading responses in this class. Students are required to read articles that can be found on Moodle. After reading these assigned articles, the student should then identify the main arguments that are raised by the authors and critically discuss them in a few paragraphs.
The readings and the assignments are tentative and I might need to adjust them to take into account the sudden events in the ME or the international events that relate to our course.
Responses to Films
Students are required to watch the assigned film, then identify the main actors and their roles in the events that take place. After this, students should identify any differences between the film and the facts that are discussed in class lectures and reading about the topic. The overall length of these assignments should be two to three pages.
Presentations
At the beginning of the semester, students will be divided into groups and assigned a film topic. At the end of the semester, the assigned groups will select ONE topic that interests them and present on that topic. The presentation should be in PowerPoint, and be 10-12 minutes in length.
See Moodle for details on these assignments.
A Note on Moodle
All assignments are due in electronic format on Moodle.
Access to Moodle is required in this class. Assignments, class notes, syllabus, reflections, instructions, PowerPoints, study guides, grades, final exam and other activities related to this course will be available on Moodle.
- Response timefor emails is 24 hours. If you have not heard back from me in that time period, please resend your email. Assignments will be graded within one week of the due date. If an assignment grade will take longer, I will notify the class of the delay.
- Late Work Policy
Be sure to pay close attention to deadlines.
All assignments are expected on the due date by the time set in
Moodle.
There will be no make-up assignments,quizzes, or late work accepted
without a serious and compelling reason and instructor approval.
Please contact me immediately if you have any concerns or problems.
I will deduct ONE point for every day the submission is late. After
one week, the grade will be a ZERO.
Attendance
Your attendance is vital to yoursuccess in this class. Coastal Carolina University policy stipulates that “An instructor is permitted to impose a penalty, including assigning the grade of F, for unexcused absences in excess of 25% of the regularly scheduled class meetings.” Attendance will be taken, and unexcused absences in excess of 25% of our class meetings will result in a failing grade, no matter your actual performance in the course.
**Students who are representing the University in an athletic or academic competition may be excused for absences. Students must provide the instructor with a copy of the letter or travel schedule from the sponsoring department/professor prior to the absence so that the missed class will not count towards the University-designated number of allowed absences. All graded assignments due at the time of the absence must be turned in prior to the missed class.
Student Code of Conduct
Cheating, Plagiarism, and other types of student misconduct are forbidden. If any of these offenses occur, the student will receive an F for this course and be reported to the Academic Integrity Officer. See the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct,
Disabling Conditions
If you need special accommodations due to a disabling condition, please provide documentation to the instructor as soon as possible. Qualifying documentation should be endorsed/approved by the CCU Office of Disability Services in order for students to qualify for special dispensation with the requirements of this course. For specific information about the CCU Office of Disability Services, please see
Classroom Behavior
Cellular phones and other calling/text messaging/chatting and social network devices must be switched off at all times during the class. You may use laptops in class BUT only to work on activities directly related to our course.
Office Hours
I will be available to students during office hours AND by email. Students are encouraged to utilize these two ways to reach me. Any meetings outside of office hours must be arranged with the professorby appointment only.
Required Books
Gasiorowski Mark (ed), The Government and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa, Westview, 2014.
Class Schedule
Week 1
Introduction, Groups & Syllabus
Mapping MENA, ME Basics
Reading:
Documentary – Orientalism: Edward Said
Week 2
ME – General, Intro to contemporary ME
Film: Media, Politics and Film in and about the ME
Reading: CH. 1
Week 3
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Film: Little Town of Bethlehem
Reading: CH. 5
Week 4
Lebanon Civil War and Israel’s Invasion
Film: Dancing with Bashir
Reading: 3&4
Week 5
Oil in the ME - The Rentier State
Film: Curse of Oil Wealth
Reading: CH. 10 & 11
Week 6
The Islamic Revolution in Iran
Film: Persepolis, A Story of Childhood
Reading: CH. 9.
Week 7
Palestine-Suicide Bombing
Film: Paradise Now
Reading: CH. 6
Week 8
The Arab Spring
Film: How Facebook Changed the World -- the story of the Arab Spring
Reading: Hand Outs
Week 9
Syrian Refugee Crises
Film: After Spring
Reading: CH 2
Week 10
Women’s Empowerment in the ME
Film: He Named Me Malala
Reading:
Week 11
Post Qaddafi-Libya
Film: 13 Hours
Reading: CH 14
Week 12
Turkey
Class lectures and discussion
Reading: Ch 7
Week 13
Presentations
Week 14
9/11 Class lectures and Discussion
Week 15
The Rise of the Islamic State: “Losing Iraq” (via PBS)
Reading: CH 8
Week 16
Evaluations
Conclusions
Changes to Course Syllabus/Calendar--Important Note: This syllabus, along with course assignments and due dates, are subject to change. It is the student’s responsibility to check Moodle for corrections or updates to the syllabus. Any changes will be clearly noted in course announcement or through email.