TAKE HOME ESSAY QUESTION FOR FINAL (click here) -- TURN IN WHEN YOU COME TO THE FINAL EXAM
 

Throughout the course, we focus on the diversity of religious, political and social trends in the Middle East.  A question underlying the course is the extent to which Western Europe and the United States have been influential in social and political changes in the Middle East, and the extent to which these trends emerged as responses to internal debates within the region.  The course covers the late 19th century through the 1990s, with most emphasis on the early and middle 20th century.

The emphasis throughout the course is on developing analytical reading and speaking skills through discussions, study group work in class, impromptu presentations, and assignments in class.  The course includes lecture and discussion.  Participation is an important part of the grade.

What do we mean by the "modern" Middle East?
It cannot be emphasized enough that the word "modern," in political science and most other social sciences, means the period from about 1650 to present.  It is a period characterized by change to a political system composed of states, rather than kingdoms or empires; and economic systems focused on industrialization and production for the market, rather than agricultural and pastoral economics.  The late modern period -- the late 18th century to present -- has been characterized by trends including urbanization; nationalism; the rise of social movements fighting for ethnic, gender, and religious equality; and religious resurgence.  This class focuses on the late modern period, from the early 1800s to the 1990s.  The course will not focus on "contemporary" events, meaning those events in the news today.  Later in the semester, you will have a chance to apply what you learn about the modern Middle East to some events in the news, however, this will not be the focus of the course.

Word of caution
If you seek a class on current events, or on the pre-modern Middle East, this is not the course for you.  If you seek to introduce yourself to some of the basics of late modern Middle Eastern politics this is exactly where you should be.

Student Requirements and Participation:
Students will participate in a variety of activities including class discussions, structured debates (taking the position of an assigned author), study group work, and presentations. The course will include lecture and active discussion.  Discussion is a large part of the course. Students will be expected to come to class having completed the readings for that day and be prepared to discuss them.  Participation is an important part of the grade.  Participation means both attending and participating actively.

Texts:
1. Roger Owen, State, Power and Politics in the Making of the Modern Middle East. 2nd Edition. New York: Routledge, 2000.

2. Rashid Khalidi, Lisa Anderson, Muhammad Muslih, and Reeva S. Simon, eds. The Origins of Arab Nationalism. New York: Columbia University Press, 1991.

3. Lila Abu-Lughod, ed. Remaking Women: Feminism and Modernity in the Modern Middle East. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1998.

4. John Esposito, ed. Political Islam: Revolution, Radicalism or Reform? Boulder, CO: Lynne Reinner, 1997.  (Note: Some stores have had trouble getting this text, as it is in great demand right now.  If you cannot find this text by the end of the first week of classes, I recommend ordering it directly through an on-line bookstore, such as www.amazon.com, www.bn.com, or www.bookfinder.com).

5. Reader, available at Custom Copies, 309 NW 13th Street, across from Krispy Kreme.  (Note: I am teaching two courses with the special topics numbers "POS 4931/JST 3930."  Make sure to get the reader for Politics of the Modern Middle East and not my other course).

Note: All text books are listed through the UF textbook adoption program and should be available at bookstores around the town.  It is your responsibility to make sure you have the texts and the reader.  If you cannot find any text in the first week of classes, I recommend ordering it on-line.  Many on-line bookstores are the fastest way to order and receive books if you cannot find them in town.

Grade Distribution
10%  Participation and Presentations
20%  Pop Quizzes (two to ten)
30%  Mid-Semester Exams (two)
40%  Final Exam

Explanation of Assignments
Participation
Your participation grade is based upon your active participation in class discussions; demonstration of having read the readings assigned for each day; and presentations to the class, which may be as individuals or study groups.  Because you cannot participate if you are not in class, attendance is important.  Each class missed over three absences will take three points off your final grade.

Pop Quizzes
As you can see from the grade distribution, you will have between two and ten pop quizzes.  The number will depend upon the performance of the class.  If it is clear from discussions that the class is reading the assigned readings for each class, there will be fewer pop quizzes.  If it is apparent to me that people are not reading, you will have up to ten pop quizzes.

Pop quizzes may be in the form of identification, multiple-choice, or, more often, writing quizzes.  The writing quizzes are a structured writing assignment done in or outside of class in which you will be asked to state the argument of a reading or readings, and to explain that argument through three major pieces of evidence cited in the reading(s).

Mid-Semester Exams
The mid-semester exams will be made up of some combination of identification (including matching), multiple-choice, and true/false questions.  They may or may not include essay questions.

Final Exam
The final exam will be made up of some combination of identification (including matching), multiple-choice, true/false questions, and essay questions.

Policy on Late Assignments, Missed Pop Quizzes, Absences
No late assignments will be accepted.  Pop quizzes cannot be made up.

If you must miss class for a truly extraordinary reason, you must let me know in advance and I will let you know if it will be possible to arrange to make up for any lost work.  In all cases, you should email me to let me know if you have to miss class for a reason “with cause” (such as being very ill, or being stuck on the other side of the planet due to an airline strike).  With approval, such absences will not count against your three allowed absences.  However, I caution you to make sure not to abuse this policy; a flood of unwarranted absence excuses will hurt the class as a whole, as I may be forced to change the policy.
 

Reading Schedule

I. Viewing the Middle East: Assumptions, Misconceptions, and Realities
Week I
August 27 Introduction
August 29 Denny, “The Basic Beliefs and Worship Practices of Islam” (in reader)

Week II
September 3  Gerges, “Islam and Muslims in the Mind of America: Influences on the Making of U.S. Policy” (in reader)

II. The End of Empire and Colonialism: Local Context
September 5 Memmi, chapters 1-3 (in reader)

Week III
September 10 Owen, chapter 1

III. The End of Empire and Nationalism: Local Contexts
September 12 Owen, chapter 4

Week IV
September 17 Khalidi (chapter 3 in Khalidi text)
September 19 Dawn (chapter 1 in Khalidi text); Haddad (in Khalidi text)

Week V
September 24 Muslih (in Khalidi text); Jankowski (in Khalidi text)
September 26 Anderson (in Khalidi text)

Week VI
October 1 Mid-Semester Exam I

Nation Building and Debates Over Social Change: Gender and Politics
October 3 Abu-Lughod (chapter 7 in Abu-Lughod text); Sullivan (in Abu-Lughod text)

Week VII
October 8 Najmabadi (in Abu-Lughod text); Booth (in Abu-Lughod text)
October 10 Fahmi (in Abu-Lughod text); Abu-Lughod (chapter 1 in Abu-Lughod text)

Week VIII
October 15 Kandiyoti (in Abu-Lughod text)

IV. State Building in the Middle East
October 17 Owen, chapter 2

Week IX
October 22 Owen, chapters 3 and 5
October 24 Owen, chapter  8

Week X
October 29 Owen, chapters 10 and 11
October 31 Owen, chapters 6 and Conclusion

Week XI
November 5 In-class assignment
November 7 Mid-Semester Exam II

V. Local Economies: Labor, Gender, and Society in Turkey
Week XII
November 12 White, chapters 1 and 7 (in reader)

VI. Religion, Law, and State
November 14 Ali, “Human Rights in Islam and International Law” (in reader)

Week XIII
November 19 Ali, “’Private’ and ‘Islamic’?…” (in reader); Joseph (in reader)
November 21 Shifman (in reader); Ziai (in reader)

Week XIV
Monday, November 25: SPECIAL EVENT: Professor Joel S. Migdal will be visiting UF and will speak at 7:30 p.m.     His talk is entitled, “What Went Right and What Went Wrong in the Palestinian-Israeli Peace Process.”  Location TBA.

VII. Religious Resurgence in the Middle East
November 26 Esposito, chapters 1 and 11
November 28 Thanksgiving.  No class.  (Read ahead for last two weeks of class).

Week XV
December 3 Esposito, chapters 6 and 7
December 5 Esposito, chapter 2 and 9

Week XVI
December 10 Esposito, chapters 8 and 10
December 12 Conclusions

FINAL EXAM 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Thursday, December 19th