Comparative Politics and the Middle East
POLS 5258
Fall 2017
Class Time: W 5:00 – 7:40
Class Venue: WALEED 147
Instructor
Dr. Nadine Sika
Office: HUSS 2022
Extension: 1907
Email:
Office Hours: Wednesdays: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00p.m or by appointment
Aims and Objectives
This course aims to introduce students to various topics in Middle East politics through the lens of general theories of Comparative Politics. The objective here is to critically apply Comparative Political theories, concepts and methods to the Middle East area studies. The main thematic denominator of the class is to ask questions pertaining to the changes and continuities in Middle Eastern Politics prior to and after the advent of the Arab uprisings of 2010/2011. The major themes that will be discussed throughout the course duration are civil society, political change, regime resilience and breakdown, state collapse and fragility, civil society, electoral politics, Islamist movements, political economy and the role of the military in politics.
Readings
All readings will be posted on blackboard
Requirements and Grades
Participation10 %
4 Critical Essays15% each
1 Final Paper20 %
1 In-Class presentation 10%
Critical essays
Students are required to write four short critical essays based on the readings of one class session each. The paper should be almost 3000 words. Additional sources can be used to develop on the ideas and claims that are made in the paper. Late submission of critical essays will result in one grade deduction.
Class Presentation
Each Student should prepare to lead half a class discussion. The discussion will be based on any week’s readings. Class discussions should be based on research themes, questions and hypotheses that are related to the topic. Topics and discussions should relate to theories of comparative politics with an emphasis on Middle East politics. Failure to present class presentations will result in an F for the in class presentation grade, if not communicated with me at least two days prior to the presentation date.
Final Paper
Students present their paper topic in class to their colleagues (exact date will be announced later). The presentation should include, an abstract, a theoretical framework, methodology and an outline of the topic. Based on the class’ input, students should start their research. The final paper is due on the final examination date. This should be between 20-25 pages long (5000 to 6000 words), covering any topic of interest. The papers should be submitted through turn it in. Late submissions of papers results in one grade deduction.
Plagiarism will result in an F in the course.
Please refer to AUC’s Academic Integrity Policies at:
GRADES ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE
Letter Grade / Percentage / Letter Grade / Percentage / Letter Grade / PercentageA / 93+ / B- / 80-82 / D+ / 67-69
A- / 90-92 / C+ / 77-79 / D / 60-66
B+ / 87-89 / C / 73-76 / F / Below 60
B / 83-86 / C- / 70-72
Course Outline
Week 1 September 6
Overview and Introduction to the Course
Week 2 September 13
The Comparative Political method and Case Selection
Barbara Geddes, Paradigms and Sandcastles: Theory Building and Research Design in Comparative Politics (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2003), pp. 37-53; and Chapter 3
Arend Lijphart, “Comparative Politics and the Comparative Method,” American Political Science Review 45, no. 3 (1971), pp. 682-93.
Mark Irving Lichbach and Alan Zuckerman, “Paradigms and Pragmatism: Comparative Politics During the Past Decade,” in Lichbach and Zuckerman (eds.) Comparative Politics: Rationality, Culture and Structure, 2nd ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2009): 1- 17.
Week 3 September 20
State-Society Relations
Joel Migdal, “Researching the State,” in Lichbach and Zuckerman (eds.) Comparative Politics: Rationality, Culture and Structure, 2nd ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2009): 162 – 192.
Joel Migdal, State in Society (Cambridge, Cambridge UP, 2004): pp. 41-96.
NazihAyubi, Overstating the Arab State: Politics and Society in the Middle East (London: I.B. Tauris, 1995) The Middle East and the State Debate, p. 1-37.
Week 4 September 27
Authoritarian Durability?
Critical Essay 1 Due
Jason Brownlee Authoritarianism in an Age of Democratization
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007) Introduction and Chapter 1.
Jennifer Gandhi and Ellen Lust-Okar,. “Elections Under
Authoritarianism.” Annual Review of Political Science 12, no.1 (2009), pp. 403–22.
Stacher, Joshua..Adaptable Autocrats: Regime Power in Egypt and Syria.
(Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2012), Chapter 3
Joseph Sassoon, Anatomy of Authoritarianism in the Arab Republics (Cambridge: Cambridge UP), pp. 38-72.
Week 5 October 4
The Role of the Military in Politics
Albrecht, Holger, “The Myth of Coup-Proofing: Military Coups d’état in the Middle East and North Africa, 1950-2013,” Armed Forces & Society Vol. 41, 4 (2015), pp. 659-687.
Zoltan Barany Zoltan, “Comparing the Arab Revolts: The Role of the Military,” Journal of Democracy 22 (2012): 28-39.
Philippe Droz-Vincent, “Prospects for “Democratic Control of the Armed Forces?” comparative Insights and Lessons for the Arab World in Transition, Armed Forces and Society 41, no. 4 (2015), pp. 696-723.
Aysegül Kars Kaynar, “Political Activism of National Security Council in Turkey After the Reforms, Armed Forces and Society vol. 43, no. 3 (2017): 323-544
Week 6 October 11
Regime Breakdown and Transition?
Joseph Sassoon, Anatomy of Authoritarianism in the Arab Republics (Cambridge: Cambridge UP), pp. 221-269.
Jason Brownlee et.al. The Arab Spring: Pathways of Repression and Reform (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015), pp.40-97; 169-228.
Week 7 October 18
Political Economy
Critical Essay 2 Due
KoenraadBogaert, “Contextualizing the Arab Revolts: The Politics behind Three Decades of Neoliberalism in the Arab World,” Middle East Critique 22, no. 3 (2013), pp. 213-234.
Michael Herb, 2005. “No Representation without Taxation? Rents, Development, and Democracy,” Comparative Politics Vol. 37, no. 3 (2005), pp. 297-316.
Robert Springborg, “The Political Economy of the Arab Spring,” Mediterranean Politics 16, no. 3 (2011), pp. 427-433.
Justin Gengler, Group Conflict and Political Mobilization in Bahrain and the Arab Gulf (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2015): pp. 105-141.
MelaniCammett and Marsha PripsteinPosusney. “Labor Standards and Labor Market Flexibility in the Middle East: Free Trade and Freer Unions?” Studies in Comparative Economic Development 45, no. 2(2010), pp. 250-279.
Week 8 October 25
Civil Society: Democracy Promotion or Authoritarian Resilience?
Francesco Cavatorta and A. Elananza, “Political Opposition in Civil Society: An Analysis of the Interactions of Secular and Religious Associations in Algeria and Jordan,” Government and Opposition 43, no. 4 (2008), pp. 561-578
Frederic Volpi, “Framing Civility in the Middle East: Alternative Perspectives on the state and civil Society,” Third World quarterly vol. 32, no. 5 (2011): 827-843.
Tariq Dana, “The Structural Transformation of Palestinian Civil society: Key Paradigm Shifts,” Middle East Critique vol. 24 no. 2 (2015): 191-210
Sheila Carapico, Political Aid and Arab Activism (Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2012): 150-188.
Week 9 November 1
Islamist Movements
Due Date to Submit final paper proposal
Nathan Brown, When Victory is Not an Option: Islamist Movements in Arab Politics (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2012), chapters 4-5.
Jillian Schwedler, “Can Islamists Become Moderates?” World Politics63, no. 2 (2011): 347-376.
Ashraf el Sherif, “Institutional and Ideological Re-construction of the Justice and Development Party (PJD): The Question of Democratic Islamism in Morocco The Middle East Journal 66, no. 4 (2012), pp. 660-682.
Glenn Robinson, “Hamas as Social Movement,” In Quentin Wiktorowicz ed. Islamic Activism: A Social Movement Theory Approach (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2004).
Week 10 November 8
Political Participation: Arab World
Critical Essay 3 Due
Vincent Durac, “Social movements, Protest Movements and Cross-Ideological Coalitions-the Arab Uprisings re-appraised,” Democratization 22, no. 2 (2015), pp. 239-258.
Joel Beinin, Workers and Thieves: Labor Movements and Popular Uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt (Stanford, Stanford UP, 2015), pp. 61-95
Lamis El Muhtaseb, Nathan Brown and Abdul Wahab Kayyali, “Arguing about Family Law in Jordan: Disconnected Spheres? International Journal of Middle East Studies vol. 48 (2016): 721-741.
Anija Hoffmann and Christoph König, “Scratiching the Democratic Facade: Framing Strategies of the 20 February Movement, “ Mediterranean Politics vol. 18, no. 1 (2013), pp. 1-22.
Week 11 November 15
Political Participation: Turkey, Israel and Iran
Victoria Tahmasebi-Birgani, “Green Women of Iran: the Role of the Women’s Movement During and After Iran’s Presidential election of 2009 Constellations 17, no. 1 (2010), pp. 78-86
IllayRomainOrs, “Genie in the bottle,” Philosophy and Social Criticism vol. 40 (4-5), pp. 489-498.
FundaGencogluOnbasi, “Gezi park protets in Turkey,” Turkish Studies (2016) DOI: 10.1080/14683849.2016.1165615
GaliPerri et.al. “The Effect of Paramilitary Protest Policing on Protestors’ Trust in Police: The case of Occupy Israel Movement,” Law and Society Review vol. 51, no. 3 (2017):, pp. 602-630.
Adriana Kemp et.al. “Between Neoliberal Governance and the Right to the City: Participatory politics in Berlin and Tel Aviv,” International Journal of Urban and Regional Research DOI:10.1111/1468-2427.12262
Week 12 November 22
Minorities in the Middle East
Critical Essay 4 Due (on Minorities in the ME)
CerenBelge and EkremKarakoc, “Minorities in the Middle East: Ethnicity, religion, and Support for authoritarianism,” Political Research Quarterly vol. 68, no. 2 (2015), pp. 280-292.
Michael Gasper, “Sectarianism, Minorities, and the Secular State in the Middle East,” International Journal of Middle East Studies vol. 48 (2016), pp. 767-778.
Zeinap Kaya and Matthew Whiting, “Sowing division: Kurds in the Syrian War,” Middle East Policy, vol. 24, no. 1 (2017):pp. 79-91.
Claire Beaugrand, “Deconstructing Minorities/Majorities in Parliamentary Gulf States (Kuwait and Bahrain),” British Journal of Middle East Studies vol. 43, no. 2 (2016): pp. 234-249.
ShahinMilani, “Situation of the Baha’I Minority in Iran and the Existing Legal Framework,” Journal of InternationalAffairs vol. 9, no. 2 (2016), pp. 137-146
Week 13 November 29
Civil War and Conflicts in post Arab spring
Paul Collier, et.al. “On the Duration of Civil War,” Journal of Peace Research vol. 41, no. 3 (2004): pp. 253-273.
Dara Conduit, “The Patterns of Syrian Uprising: Comparing Hama in 1980-1982 and Homs in 2011,” British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies (2016) DOI: 10.1080/13530194.2016.1182421
Anne Marie Baylouny, “Born Violent: Armed Political Parties and non-state Governance in Lebanon’s Civil War,” Small Wars and Insurgencies vol. 25, no. 2 (2014): pp. 329-353.
Marwan G. Rowayheb, “Political Change and the Outbreak of Civil War: The Case of Lebanon,” Civil Wars vol. 13, no. 4 (2011), pp. 414-436.
Week 14 December 14
State fragility and State collapse after the Arab Uprisings
Morton Boas and Kathleen Jennings, “Failed States ad State Failure: Threats or Opportunities?” Globalizations vol. 4 no. 4 (2007), pp. 475-485.
MehranKamrava, “Weak States in the Middle East” in MehranKamrava ed. Fragile Politics: Weak States in the Greater Middle East (London: Hurst, 2014), pp. 1-30.
Joshua Stacher, “Fragmenting States, New Regimes: militarized state violence and transition in the Middle East,” Democratization 22, no. 2 (2015), pp. 259-275.
Jasmine Gani, “Contentious Politics and the Syrian Crisis: Internationalization and Militarization of the Conflict,” in FawazGerges ed. Contentious Politics in the Middle East (New York: Palgrave McMillan, 2015), pp. 127-154.
Pascal S. Menoret, “After the Sheikhs”Review Article The Middle East Journal vol. 68, no. 1 (2014), pp. 162-163.