Postgraduate Course: The Middle East in International Relations (PGSP11275)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science | 
College | College of Humanities and Social Science | 
 
| Course type | Standard | 
Availability | Available to all students | 
 
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) | 
Credits | 20 | 
 
| Home subject area | Postgrad (School of Social and Political Studies) | 
Other subject area | None | 
   
| Course website | 
None | 
Taught in Gaelic? | No | 
 
| Course description | The main aims of this courese are to: 1) provide substantive knowledge on the international relations of the Middle East (ME); 2) familiarise students with International Relations theories and their applicability to the ME; and 3) familiarise students with the foreign policies of ME states and non-state actors. 
  
The course divides into 4 parts. Part 1 will provide an introduction to the ME and a historical examination of the origins of the state and state-system in the ME. Part 2 will examine the main theoretical approaches and conceptual tools relating to the study of ME International Relations. Part 3 will look into the determinants of foreign policy behaviour of different ME regimes examining monarchies, republics, democracies, and divided states. Part 4 will examine the causes of war in the ME by examining three wars: (1) Arab-Israeli War (1948- ); (2) Second Iraq War (2003); and (3) Non-state actors wars Hizbullah (2006) and Hamas (2008/9). | 
 
 
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites | 
 | 
Co-requisites |  | 
 
| Prohibited Combinations |  | 
Other requirements |  None | 
 
| Additional Costs |  N/A | 
 
 
Information for Visiting Students 
| Pre-requisites | None | 
 
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes | 
 
 
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2014/15  Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1) 
  
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Learn enabled:  Yes | 
Quota:  34 | 
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Web Timetable  | 
	
Web Timetable | 
	| Class Delivery Information | 
	1 hour(s) per week for 10 week(s). In addition to lectures there is a 1-hour seminar per week | 
 
 
| Course Start Date | 
12/01/2015 | 
 
| Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) | 
 
 Total Hours:
200
(
 Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
 Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
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| Additional Notes | 
 | 
 
| Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) | 
 
  Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
 | 
 
| No Exam Information | 
 
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes 
Students should: 
 
(a) gain a substantive and academically informed understanding of the Middle East international relations;  
 
(b) acquire an understanding of International Relations theories pertaining to the region; and  
 
(c) develop an independent and critical knowledge of ME politics. | 
 
 
Assessment Information 
There are two components of assessment for this course. Firstly, students will need to write a 3000-word essay; students can choose to answer one of 5 pre-assigned research questions. The essay forms 60 % of the total grade.  
 
Secondly, students will be required to write a review on a book that is related to ME politics in general, or to the themes discussed in this course in particular. The book review should be 1,500 word and forms 40% of the total grade. |  
 
Special Arrangements 
| None |   
 
Additional Information 
| Academic description | 
Not entered | 
 
| Syllabus | 
Not entered | 
 
| Transferable skills | 
Not entered | 
 
| Reading list | 
Not entered | 
 
| Study Abroad | 
Not entered | 
 
| Study Pattern | 
Not entered | 
 
| Keywords | Not entered | 
 
 
Contacts 
| Course organiser | Dr Adham Saouli 
Tel: (0131 6)50 4245 
Email: a.saouli@ed.ac.uk | 
Course secretary | Mrs Gillian Macdonald 
Tel: (0131 6)51 3244 
Email: gillian.macdonald@ed.ac.uk | 
   
 
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© Copyright 2014 The University of Edinburgh -  29 August 2014 4:33 am 
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