Nader Habibi, Economics of the Middle East (econ 122), Spring 2017
Econ 122b: Economics of the Middle East
Spring 2018 (Preliminary)
Instructor: Nader Habibi
Class Time: Monday and Wednesday 3:30 to 4:50pm
Class Location:
Office location: Room 226 Crown Center Building (Lemberg Hall)
Office hours:
Phone: (781) 736-5325; e-mail:
Class TA: AmiraAbouhussein ()
2. Text Books
1) A Political Economy of the Middle East
By: Cammett, Divan, Richards and Waterbury
Third Edition (2014), Westview Press
Recommended books: (Optional)
Arab Economies in a Changing World
By: Marcus Noland and Howard Pack
First Edition (2007), Peterson Institute for International Economics Can be ordered online for $15:
The electronic versions of some chapters of the book are also available for download from this website free of charge. (
Arab Economies in the Twenty-First Century
By: Paul Rivlin
2009 Cambridge University Press
Available to Brandeis students at (
Course Description and Objectives:
Econ 122is focused on economic conditions of the Middle Eastern countries but it is organized as a Subject-oriented Class. Area study courses, which focus on a specific region, are generally organized in two ways: a)Country-oriented, b)Subject-oriented. In a country-oriented class each session is devoted to analysis of one country. In a Subject-oriented course each week is devoted to analysis of a specific economic issue and student will learn about the overall performance of the region with respect to that particular economic issue. They will also have a chance to compare the performance of various countries of the region with respect to that topic. To clarify this difference, consider the table below. In econ 122 we will devote one week to fiscal policy, one week to economic growth, one week to international trade, and so on. A country-oriented course will devote on week to economy of Egypt, one week to economy of Israel and so on.
Learning Goals and Outcomes:
This course has three broad Goals
1) To familiarize the students with the patterns of economic development and the evolution of economic institutions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region after World War Two. To the extent that political and social institutions are relevant for understanding the region’s economic development, the course will also cover these subjects selectively. For example the students will learn about how regional instability and political institutions of MENA countries have affected their ability to implement economic reforms. An important topic that will be covered in detail is the impact of oil wealth on political and economic development of the region. The Middle East is the largest oil and gas exporting region in the world. We will also pay attention to the trade and investment relations of the Middle Eastern countries with the global economy.
2) To familiarize the students with tools and procedures of country analysis and regional analysis and apply these tools to understanding the present conditions of the MENA countries and predicting future trends. We will focus on understanding the short-term and long-term business climate of these countries. The emphasis will be on analysis of the main drivers of economic growth such as the leading economic indicators, prospects for macroeconomic stability, and major risk factors that could have an adverse effect on business climate (such as political risks, taxation risks and adverse government policy risks.) In the past two decades MENA economies have increased their trade and investment relations with rest of
3) To familiarize the students with some of the indicators and statistics that economists use to assess the economic condition of a country. We will learn about quantitative indicators of economic growth, economic development, international trade, financial stability, political stability, poverty, inequality, gender inequality, economic impact of the government, human development, standards of living and many others.
Lecture Format:
The class meets two times per week and each session is 80 minutes long. I will email the assigned readings to the students (via LATTE) a few days before each session. Students are expected to read the assigned material in advance. All students are required to participate in class discussions. We will also watch a short video clip about economic conditions of the region in each session. Students will search the internet and each student is required to recommend at least one video clip for class viewing during the semester (All video recommendations must be submitted before April 16, 2017. The student whose clip is selected for a session is expected to talk about it for a few minutes.
Use of cell phones (for texting) and laptops (for surfing the web or checking email) is prohibited.
Grading (Two projects, two exams , attendance, class participation)
A) One short research paper (approximately 1000 to 1700 words)(20%)
B)Ashort video clips(five to ten minutes long)or a class presentation (15 minutes) (20%) You are encouraged to post your video on youtube.com in search of fame and fortune.
Since the available time for presentation is limited, up to 12 presentation spots are available. The topic of presentation is flexible as long as it focuses on economic issues. Students who choose to produce two video clips must also focus on economic issues in the MENA region. Team formation is allowed (and strongly encouraged) for this assignment. A production team can include 2 or 3 students. Minimum expectations for both quality and length of this video assignment will depend on the team members. (Minimum 4 minutes per team member). A single grade will be assigned to both members of each team and they are jointly responsible for the assignment. (Selection of a subject-oriented topic is encouraged for this project- for example: A) Status of women’s employment in Egypt, Jordan and Israel, B) A comparison of government spending on education in Iran and Turkey,C) Libya’s oil industry since 2011.
C) Thefinal exam(30%):One third of this exam will be multiple-choice questions on facts and knowledge based on material that is covered in class. Two third will be essay questions which will test your understanding and analysis on broad topics that are covered in assigned readings and class discussions. The essay questions section does not require detailed fact and statistics memorization. (10 Multiple Choice Questions, 3 essay questions)
D) A Midterm (20%):Two thirds ofthe grade will be based on multiple-choice questions. One third will be based on essay questions. (12 multiple-choice questions, 2 essay questions.) (When: last week of March)
E) Class participation and attendance (10%): Students are expected to read the assigned materials and participate in class discussions on a regular basis. In their discussions the students must demonstrate that they have studied the assigned readings. Attendance is required. You can miss up to three sessions without any explanation. Any additional absences require a valid justification, such as medical emergency, sickness, or unexpected family events.
Extra credit: Fact-check and error discovery. I encourage you to fact check the information that I present during the class lectures (both what I say and what appears on my presentation slides.) If you notice a factual error (for example wrong statistics for economic growth in a specific country,) bring it to my attention and you will earn 1 point (an extra 1% toward your class grade). Extra credit in this category is limited to maximum 5 points per student.
5) Academic honesty: You are expected to be honest in all of your academic work. Please consult Brandeis University Rights and Responsibilities for all policies and procedures related to academic integrity. Students may be required to submit work to TurnItIn.com software to verify originality. Allegations of alleged academic dishonesty will be forwarded to the Director of Academic Integrity. Sanctions for academic dishonesty can include failing grades and/or suspension from the university. Citation and research assistance can be found at LTS - Library guides
6) Disability Information:If you are a student with a documented disability at Brandeis University and if you wish to request special accommodations for this class (such as extra time in exams) please contact me as soon as possible.
7) Please check your Brandeis email regularly. I will communicate class materials and assigned readings through email on a regular basis. If you are a visiting student and don’t have a Brandeis email please create one for yourself immediately.
8)Time and effort requirement:Success in this four- credit course is based on the expectation that students will spend an average of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for exams, research, etc.).
9) Outline of Weekly Topics
The readings listed for each week include both required and recommended readings. The readings include chapters from the textbook plus academic and general audience articles. Each week I will send you an email about the assigned readings for the next week. On average, the assigned (required) readings range from 30 to 75 pages per week. The recommended readings will help you obtain additional insight into the subject and will also serve as useful sources of information for the articles and reports that you are expected to write for this class.
Attention: The articles that are listed under each topic here are not assigned readings. They are recommended readings. The list of assigned readings for each class session will be emailed to you a week earlier. A larger list of relevant readings is also available in the class page in LATTE, which also provides links for online access to most articles.
Topic 1: An overview of economic conditions in Middle East
PEMEtextbook, chapter 1; pages 1-33)
Regional Economic Outlook for MENA (October 2016), IMF
Global Economic Prospect MENA (Pages 131-145. World Bank)
Topic2: Economic Growth and National Income in MENA
Read: (PEME chapter 2)
“A Reexamination of the Political Economy of Growth in MENA Countries” HadiSalehiEsfahani, Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance , Volume 46, Issue 5, February 2007,
“Development, Growth and Policy Reform In the Middle East and North Africa since 1950”, TarikYousef, Journal of Economic Perspective, Volume 18, Number 3, Summer 2004, PP91-116. (*)
“The United Arab Emirates: Some Lessons in Economic Development” , Yaw Nyarko, United Nations University, Working Paper No. 2010/11 (*) (Available on latte)
Challenges of Economic Development in the Middle East (Devlin) Chapter 1
Topic3:An overview of Economic and Political History of the Middle East
The Modern Middle East: A History, James Gelvin, Chapters 12, 13, 14 and the conclusion.
(PEME : Chapter 3)
TimurKuran: “Why the Middle East is Economically Underdeveloped?” Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 18, no.3, Summer 2004, pp 71-90. (*)
Topic4 Religion, Culture and Economic Development
(PEME: Chapter 12)
“Islam, Globalization and Economic Performance in the Middle East”, Marcus Noland and Howard pack, International Economic policy Brief, June 2004. (*)
Islam and the Economic Challenge, M. UmerChapra, pages 1-10.
“Islam and Mammon: The Economic Predicaments of Islamism”TimurKuran,Chapter 1:Pages 1-37, Chapter 5:Pages 103-120.
Carroll, John, “Intellectual Property Rights in the Middle East: A Cultural Perspective” April 2009
Topic5: Demographic challenge and state of Human development
(PEME: Chapters 4 and 5)
Population Growth in MENA (Available in LATTE under TOPIC 5)
Fairness in Healthcare in MENA (available in Latte under Topic 5), From page 30 to the end.
A New Millennium of Knowledge (Arab Human Development Report on Building a Knowledge Society), Kristin M Lord, April 2008,
Topic6: Trade and globalization, Regional Economic Integration
(PEME: Chapter 13)
U.S. - Middle East Trade Relations
(Link available in LATTE, Topic 6)
“Recent US Free Trade Initiatives in the Middle East: Opportunities but no guarantees”, Robert Lawrence, Arab Competitiveness Report 2006, Chapter Two.
China-GCC Trade Relations (2012-13) link to open resource.
Lawrence, Robert Z., A US-Middle East Trade Agreement: A Circle of Opportunity? (Peterson Institute, Washington, DC, 2006); Ch. 2: The State of Arab Economies: Global engagement, Reforms, and Regional Trade Agreements.
“Beijing’s Rising Star in the Gulf Region: The Near and the Distant Future”, Paul Aarts and Machteld van Rijsingen, Gulf Research Center, March 2007.
GCC Trade and Investment Flows (2013) link to open resource.
Trade Integration as a Way Forward (World Bank, 2011)
Topic7:Political institutions and regime types in MENA
(PEME:Chapter 3 and chapter 11)
“The political economy of state-formation in the Arab Middle East: Rentier states, economic reform and democratization”, Rolf Schultz, Review of International Political Economy, 15:4 October 2008:599-612.
“A Clash of Emotions: The politics of Humiliation and political Violence in the Middle East” Khaled Fattah and KM Fierke , European Journal of International Relations 2009;15;67
“The Middle East’s Generation Facebook” Mona Eltahawy, World Policy Journal, Fall2008, Vol. 25 Issue 3, p69-77, 9p;
Topic 8:Public Sector, Fiscal Policy and the Economic Role of Government
Read: (PEME: Chapters 7),
“Fiscal policy and Diversification in MENA “ Ali Zafar (2012)
“Failed Legacies: Escaping the Ghosts of Central Planning” by Adam Bennett, Finance and Development, March 2003, Volume 40, Number 1.
“Centralization, Decentralization, and Conflict in the Middle East and North Africa”, Mehmet SerkanTusan, SerdarYilmaz, World Bank, Policy Research paper 4774, November 2008.
“The Middle East Corruption Conundrum” Gillespie, Kate. Current History, Jan2006, Vol. 105 Issue 687, p40-46, 7p (*)
“Public Debt and Fiscal Vulnerability in the Middle East” Petri, Martin; Soderling, Ludvig; Maliszewski, Wojciech; Morsy, Hanan; Fouad, Manal; Hommes, Martin; 2007, pp. 36 pages, International Monetary Fund, IMF Working Papers: 07/12
Topic9:Economic Reform and Development Strategies
Read: (PEME: Chapter 8)
Political Economy of the Gulf (This article includes summaries of several articles by leading experts on economic conditions of GCC countries and Iran.
“Arab Economies at a Tipping Point” Morcus Noland and Howard Pack, Middle East Policy, Vol. XV, No. 1, Spring 2008,
“Restarting Arab Economic Reform” by Mustapha K. Nabli , in The Arab World Competitiveness Report 2005, (World Economic Forum, Palgrave MacMillan, 2005), pp. 11-19.
“Politics of Economic Reform in the Middle East” ,Networks of privilege in the Middle East, Steve Hydeman, 2004
Globalization and Politics of Development in the Middle East, by Clement Henry and Robert Springborg, 2001, pages 1-29.
“Energy Sustainability Policies in the GCC” StephenHertog and GiancomoLuciani, Center for the Study of Global Governance, November 2009 (Available on Latte)
Topic10: Social Welfare, Inequality and Food Security
Read: (PEME: Chapters 6)
“Inequality, Economic Growth and Poverty in the Middle East and South Africa”
Fiscal Policy and Income Inequality in MENA (2014)
Trade, Income Distribution and Poverty in Developing Countries (2012)
“How Institutions Change Over Time” James A Robinson, Economic Research Forum, Working Paper # 466, 2008,
“Globalization and Inequality in the Arab Region” Ali Abdel Gadir, Arab Planning Institute, September 2003.
Topic11: Financial markets, Islamic banking, Domestic investment and Foreign Investment
“The Arab World Competitiveness Report” TariqYousef and Margareta Drzeniek
, April 2007.
Creane, Susan, et. al., “Measuring Financial Development in the Middle East and North Africa: A New Database” IMF Staff Papers, Vol. 53, No.3 2007 ,
“Doing Business in the Arab World, 2009”, A Joint Publication of the World Bank and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, November 2008. .
“Financial Sectors in a New Age of Oil” Middle East and North Africa Economic Developments and Prospects 2006 , World Bank pages 37-68
Choudhury, Masudul A. “Introducing Islamic Political Economy,”
Behrendt, Sven, “When Money Talks” Arab Sovereign Wealth Funds in the Global Public Policy Discourse”, Carnegie Papers, No.12, October 2008,
Topic 12: The Economics of Gender in the Middle East
“Women in Islamic Societies: A Review of Social Science Literature” (2005)
“Women and Economic Development in Middle East and North Africa” 2013,
“Paradox of Female Economic Participation in Middle East and North Africa” , 2014,
UNDP, The Arab Human Development Report 2005: Towards the Rise of Women in the Arab World (Amman, Jordan, and New York, 2006), Executive Summary, pp. 1-24.
World Bank, Gender and Development in the Middle East and North Africa: Women and the Public Sphere, (World Bank, MENA Development Report, Washington DC, 2004), “Overview”, pp. 1-14.
World Bank, The Environment for Women’s Entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa, NaderehChamlu, June 2008. (also available on Latte).
“Women Entrepreneurship in Middle East: Understanding barriers and use of ICT for entrepreneurship development” Viju Mathew International Entrepreneurship Management journal, March 2010 (*) (also available on Latte).
Women’s Work, Suzan Ladika, International Educator, Sep.-Oct. 2009. (Available on Latte)
Topic 13: Oil and petrochemical sector, Domestic energy policy, regional energy cooperation. (PEME: Chapter 9, some sections of chapter 10)
“National Oil Company and Value Creation, (World Bank, 2011)”
“America, oil and War in the Middle East, 2010”
“Encroaching on An American Lake” in Rising Powers Shrinking Planet, by Michael T Klare, 2008, Metropolitan Books, New York.
“Global Oil Trends and their Effect on the Middle East” Gil Feiler, Israel Affairs, Vol. 12, No. 4 October 2006, pp. 698-714. (*)
“Encroaching on an American Lake”, Michael T. Klare, in Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet, 2008, Metropolitian Books, pages 176-209. (*)
“China and the Middle East: Energy First”, Jin Liangxiang, Middle East Quarterly, Spring 2005 , pp. 3-10. (*)
Oil Titans; National Oil Companies in the Middle East , Valerie Marcel, Brookings Institution Press, 2006. Introduction, Chapter one and pages 235-265.
“Worldwide Liquids Capacity Outlook to 2010-Tight Supply or Excess of Riches?” , Peter M Jackson and Robert W. Esser.
Topic 14:Country Analysis: Israel, Palestine, Egypt And Turkey
“The Institutional Dynamics of a Developmental State: Change and Continuity in State-Economy Relations in Israel” Daniel Maman, ZeevRosenhek, Studies in Comparative International Development, September 2012, Volume 47, Issue 3.
“From Boom to Bust: The Israeli Economy 1990-2003”, Ben-Zion Zilberfarb, Israel Affairs, Vol. 12, No 2, April 2006. (Followed by several short articles that cover 2003-07.) (*)