| Middle East and Democracy | Codi: M7.010 : 4 |
In contrast, several Arab countries that initiated political reforms in the 70s or the 90s entered a de-liberalisation phase, characterised by increasing repression of all forms of opposition.
Until 2011, no Arab country had achieved a democratic transition. The wave of popular protest and subsequent changes initiated in 2011, commonly referred as Arab Spring or Arab Awakening has shaken the terms of the debate on democracy in the Middle East and some authors argue that the region is entering a new paradigm.
Several dictators have fallen; other countries have introduced political reforms and others have reinforced their traditional strategies of social control: a combination of subsidies and repression. External actors are also re-evaluating their policies towards this region and are trying to draw lessons from their past actions (or lack of action). In this critical juncture it is particularly relevant to analyse the domestic and international factors that have a substantial impact on the evolution of Middle Eastern politics.
The goal of this course is to provide students with the opportunity to get a closer look to the political dynamics of the region, to get to know the main political actors and to be introduced to theoretical debates on democracy in the Middle East.
This is an optional course. It aims to apply to a specific geographic area concepts and debates with which students are already familiarised with. It is also one of the few courses tought in English. Thus, it also aism at helping student to get used to English as a working language
The course assumes that students are already familiar with basic concepts of political science (e.g authoritarianism, democratisation, rentier state) and combines them with basic notions of International Relations and Foreign Policy analysis. This will also help students to get familiar with the Middle East and North Africa region. No initial knowledge on the region is supposed to students. Yet, no previous knowledge is supposed on this particular region. Having said that, students are highly recommended to refresh basic notions on the geography and the history of this region.
This course is designed to be a useful introduction to politics in the Middle East for researchers, political analysists an political-risk consultants
Specific skills:
Interpret unfolding political events in the MENA region, identifying driving forces, key actors and potential impact.
Apply political science and international relations concepts and analytical frameworks to the MENA region
Cross-cutting skills:
Use English as a working and communication language
Work with different kind of forces
Combine academic research and policy-relevant analysis
Goals
The goal of this course is to provide students with the opportunity to get a closer look to the political dynamics of the region, to get to know the main political actors and to be introduced to theoretical debates on democracy in the Middle East. Students will have access to relevant information and a selection of reading materials that should allow them to answer questions such as:
Does democracy face more obstacles in the Middle East than in other regions?
Can Islamist groups become democratising forces or, at least, integrate themselves (and be integrated by the rest) in a democratic system?
Is the Arab-Israeli conflict hindering democratisation in the Middle East?
Have external actors contributed to democratisation in this region or, on the contrary, have they legitimised authoritarian rulers?
1. Is there an Arab or Muslim exceptionality?
2. The rentier state: definition and effects on democracy, authoritarianism and state-building
3. Liberalised autocracies and the applicability of the transition model to the contemporary Middle East
Module 2 Political Islam and protest movements
1. Political Islam: a common origin, distinct political strategies
2. Protest movements
Module 3 The Arab-Israeli conflict
1. The Arab-Israeli conflict
2. The Middle East Peace Process and other peace initiatives
3. Nationalism in the Middle East: Zionism, Arab nationalism and Palestinian movements
4. Israel’s political system
Module 4 External actors and democracy in the Middle East
1. European policies towards the Middle East
2. The democratisation agenda in the US Middle Eastern policy
3. The Turkish model and Turkey’s new Middle Eastern policy
| Authoritarianism in Arab countries | XML |
| Authoritarianism in Arab countries | DAISY |
| Authoritarianism in Arab countries | EPUB 2.0 |
| Authoritarianism in Arab countries | MOBIPOCKET |
| Authoritarianism in Arab countries | KARAOKE |
| Authoritarianism in Arab countries | HTML5 |
| Authoritarianism in Arab countries | |
| External actors and democracy in the Middle East | XML |
| External actors and democracy in the Middle East | DAISY |
| External actors and democracy in the Middle East | EPUB 2.0 |
| External actors and democracy in the Middle East | MOBIPOCKET |
| External actors and democracy in the Middle East | KARAOKE |
| External actors and democracy in the Middle East | HTML5 |
| External actors and democracy in the Middle East | |
| Political Islam and protest movements | XML |
| Political Islam and protest movements | DAISY |
| Political Islam and protest movements | EPUB 2.0 |
| Political Islam and protest movements | MOBIPOCKET |
| Political Islam and protest movements | KARAOKE |
| Political Islam and protest movements | HTML5 |
| Political Islam and protest movements |
El procés d'avaluació es fonamenta en el treball personal de l'estudiant i pressuposa l'autenticitat de l'autoria i l'originalitat dels exercicis realitzats.
La manca d'autenticitat en l'autoria o d'originalitat de les proves d'avaluació; la còpia o el plagi; l'intent fraudulent d'obtenir un resultat acadèmic millor; la col·laboració, l'encobriment o l'afavoriment de la còpia, o la utilització de material, programari o dispositius no autoritzats durant l'avaluació, entre altres, són conductes irregulars en l'avaluació que poden tenir conseqüències acadèmiques i disciplinàries greus.
Aquestes conductes irregulars poden comportar el suspens (D/0) en les activitats avaluables que es defineixin en el pla docent -incloses les proves finals- o en la qualificació final de l'assignatura, sigui perquè s'han utilitzat materials, programari o dispositius no autoritzats durant les proves, com ara xarxes socials o cercadors d'informació a internet, perquè s'han copiat fragments de text d'una font externa (internet, apunts, llibres, articles, treballs o proves d'altres estudiants, etc.) sense la citació corresponent, o perquè s'ha dut a terme qualsevol altra conducta irregular.
Així mateix, i d'acord amb la normativa acadèmica, les conductes irregulars en l'avaluació també poden donar lloc a la incoació d'un procediment disciplinari i a l'aplicació, si escau, de la sanció que correspongui, de conformitat amb l'establert a la normativa de convivència de la UOC.
En el marc del procés d'avaluació, la UOC es reserva la potestat de:
- Sol·licitar a l'estudiant que acrediti la seva identitat segons l'establert a la normativa acadèmica.
- Sol·licitar a l'estudiant que acrediti l'autoria del seu treball al llarg de tot el procés d'avaluació, tant avaluació contínua com avaluació final, per mitjà d'una prova oral o els mitjans síncrons o asíncrons que estableixi la Universitat. Aquests mitjans tindran per objecte verificar els coneixements i les competències que garanteixin l'autoria; en cap cas no implicaran una segona avaluació. Si no és possible garantir l'autoria de l'estudiant, la prova serà qualificada amb D, en el cas de l'avaluació contínua, o amb un Suspens, en el cas de l'avaluació final.
A aquests efectes, la UOC pot exigir a l'estudiant l'ús d'un micròfon, una càmera o altres eines durant l'avaluació; és responsabilitat de l'estudiant assegurar que aquests dispositius funcionen correctament.
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Pots superar l'assignatura per mitjà de dues vies:
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