Check all the links early on in the course. Download what you can so you don't have to rely on being online in order to read them.
Weekly Readings
(C1) Introduction to the Course: No Reading
C2: The Middle East: An Overview A. Geography; B. Population; C. Politics; D. Religion; E. Ethnicity; F. Resources; G. Regimes; H. Uprisings
Readings:
Melani Cammett, Isaac Diwan, Alan Richards, and John Waterbury, A Political Economy of the Middle East (Westview Press, 2015), Preface/Introduction and Chapters 1 and 2.
Recommended: [for those who seek further background]
Melani Cammett, Isaac Diwan, Alan Richards, and John Waterbury, A Political Economy of the Middle East (Westview Press, 2015), Chapter 3.
Deborah J. Gerner, Chapter 1, “Introduction,” in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2004). [Text]
Ian R. Manners and Barbara McKean Parmenter, Chapter 2, “The Middle East: A Geographic Preface,” in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2004).
Rashid Khalidi, “Preliminary Historical Observations on the Arab Revolutions of 2011,” Jadaliyya. [CW]
Interview with Bassam Haddad (November 2003), on Culture, Islamic Values, and Democracy in the Arab World. [CW]
Arthur Goldschmidt Jr., Chapter 3, “The Historical Context” in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2004). [Text]
Questions & Issues to Consider: What, if anything, is “special” about studying the Middle East? What are the most significant challenges to studying the Middle East in the United States? What are the fundamental historical experiences in the 19th and 20th century that shaped the contemporary Middle East? What does it mean to say something is “constructed” (e.g., Middle East as construct)? What does it mean to think “critically?”
C3: Politics and Society in the Middle East: Historical Background and Colonialism A. Early Arab/Islamic Empires (7th to 13th Century) and Ottoman Dominion (1516-1917) B. European Imperialism, 1800-1917; Decline and Fall of the Ottoman Empire C. European Colonialism, 1919-1950 D. The Demise of Palestine; Rise of Israel E. Economic, Political, Social and Ideological Transformation: Rise of Radical Arab Nationalism F. Who are the Arabs; Arab Identity G. What is Islam? Islamic Beliefs and Sects
Readings:
Arthur Goldschmidt Jr., Chapter 3, “The Historical Context” in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2004). [CW]
Roger Owen, "From French Expedition to British Occupation," in Studies in the Theory of Imperialism. [CW]
Roger Owen, State, Power, and Politics in the Making of the Modern Middle East, introduction and Chapter 1, "States and State Building" (3 pages), and "The End of Empires" [CW]
Recommended:
[For those less familiar with Islam] John Esposito, The Straight Path, Chapter 2, "The Muslim Community in History,” and Chapter 3, "Religious Life: Belief and Practice." [CW]
Simon Bromley, "From Tributary Empires to States System," in Rethinking Middle East Politics. [CW]
C4: Classic Orientalism and Other "Essentialisms:" The Study of the “East” A. Orientalism B. Theologocentrism C. Cultural Exceptionalism D. Middle East Exceptionalism E. Arab/Muslim Apologists
Readings:
Walid Khalidi, Arabs and the West, The Forum, XXXII, December 1957. [CW]
Zachary Lockman, “Orientalism and empire” in Contending Visions of the Middle East, the History and Politics of Orientalism (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), pp. 66-98. [CW]
Edward Said, "Introduction" and Chapter 1, in Orientalism. [CW]
Mahmood Mamdani, Introduction and Chapter 1, in Good Muslim, Bad Muslim. [CW]
Recommended:
Supplemental Reading: New York Times survey [CW]; Thomas Friedman's "Rules" in the Washington Post [CW]
Questions & Issues to Consider: How has the Middle East (or the “East”) been studied historically? What influenced the study of the Middle East from a European perspective? Or, later, from an American perspective? How do power relations affect the production of knowledge, or notions of “objectivity?” What are the most salient categories in pop culture for understanding the Middle East? Where do they come from and how are they perpetuated? Can we produce objective knowledge about the “other?” Most importantly, what is the relationship between knowledge and power?
C5: Politics, the State, and Authoritarian Rule Readings:
Marsha Pripstein Posusney, “The Middle East’s Democracy Deficit in Comparative Perspective,” in Authoritarianism in the Middle East: Regimes and Resistance (Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2005). [CW]
Juan Linz, “Authoritarian Regimes,” Handbook of Political Science, 1975. [CW]
Jill Crystal, “Authoritarianism and its Adversaries in the Arab World,” in World Politics, 46 (January 1994), pp. 262-289. [CW]
Eva Bellin, "Contingent Democrats: Industrialists, Labor, and Democratization in Late-Developing Countries," Comparative Politics, Vol. 52, No. 2 (Jan., 2000), pp. 175-185. [CW]
Questions & Issues to Consider: Is authoritarian rule unique to the Middle East? What produces authoritarian rule? What sustains it? How does authoritarian rule affect state-opposition dynamics? Is there a relationship between levels/kinds of authoritarianism and extremist opposition? What are the bases of conflict in the Middle East?
Recommended:
Deborah J. Gerner, Chapter 4, “Middle Eastern Politics,” in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2004). [Text]
Marsha Pripstein Posusney, “Enduring Authoritarianism: Middle East Lessons for Comparative Theory," Comparative Politics, Vol. 36, No. 2 (Jan., 2004), pp. 127-138). [CW]
C6: The Political Economy of Development in the Middle East A. Colonial Legacies B. The political economy of development C. State-Led Development D. The political economy of oil
Readings: 1. Melani Cammett, Isaac Diwan, Alan Richards, and John Waterbury, A Political Economy of the Middle East (Westview Press, 2015), Chapters 7 and 8. [Text] 2. Max Ajl, Bassam Haddad, Zeinab Abul-Magd, Eds., "State, Market, and Class: Egypt, Syria, and Tunisia," in A Critical Political Economy of the Middle East and North Africa (Stanford University Press, 2020). [Text] 3. Tim Mitchell, "Ten Propositions on Oil," in Joel Beinin, Bassam Haddad, and Sherene Seikaly, Eds., "State, Market, and Class: Egypt, Syria, and Tunisia," in A Critical Political Economy of the Middle East and North Africa (Stanford University Press, 2020). Chapter 3. [Text]
Recommended: 1. Elias H. Tuma, Chapter 7, “The Economies of the Middle East,” in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2004), pp. 234-End. [Text] 2. Mary Ann Tétreault, Chapter 8, “The Political Economy of Middle Eastern Oil,” in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2004), pp. 258-End. 3. Hazim Beblawi, “The Rentier State in the Arab World,” in eds. Hazem Beblakgwi and Giacomo Luciani, The Rentier State (London: Croom Helm, 1987), pp. 49-71.
C7: [finalize C6 and Current Events Laboratory: Developments, Methodology, Judgement]
MIDTERM
C8: Causes and Dynamics of the Arab Uprisings Readings [Visit the "Ten Years On" project portal for more material at www.TheArabUprisings.org]
1. [Re-read Melani Cammett, Isaac Diwan, Alan Richards, and John Waterbury, A Political Economy of the Middle East (Westview Press, 2015), Sections Related to the Arab Uprisings in the Preface/Introduction and Chapter 1.] 2. James Gelvin, The Arab Uprisings: What Everyone Needs to Know, Chapters 1 and 2 ("A Revolutionary Wave?" and "The Beginning: Tunisia and Egypt." [PDF] 3. Watch the full panel on "Reflections on Mass Protests and Uprisings in the Arab World," Part 1, from the "Ten Years On Project," Link 4. Watch the full panel on "Reflections on Mass Protests and Uprisings in the Arab World," Part 2, from the "Ten Years On Project," Link
Recommended: 1. 2. [Re-read Max Ajl, Bassam Haddad, Zeinab Abul-Magd, Eds., "State, Market, and Class: Egypt, Syria, and Tunisia," in A Critical Political Economy of the Middle East and North Africa (Stanford University Press, 2020). [CW]] 2. Jason Brownlee, et. al, Pathways of Repression and Reform (Oxford University Press, 2015), Introduction, Chapters 1, 2, 6. [PDF] 3. Adam Hanieh, Lineages of Revolt (Chicago: Haymarket, 2013), Chapters 1, 2, 3 [PDF]
C 9: Case-Study: Media and the Egyptian Uprising
1. Adel Iskandar, "Egypt's Media Deficit." [PDF] 2. Adel Iskandar, "Year of the Ostrich." [PDF] 3. Film: Oscar-nominated Full-feature documentary: The Square 4. Watch Interview with Hossam Hamalawy on the Army, Business Classes, and Workers [Link]
Recommended: 1. Adel Iskandar, "Media as Method in the Age of Revolution: The Rise of Neoliberal Authoritarianism." [PDF] 2. Video: Al-Jazeera--The Listening Post (first 11 mins)
C 10: Case-Study: The Political Economy of Authoritarianism and the Syrian Case (Part 1) Readings 1. Bassam Haddad, Business Networks: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience in Syria (Stanford: 2012), Preface, Introduction, and Chapters 1, 2, 4. [Text]
C11: Case-Study: The Syrian Uprising (Part 2)
Readings 1. Bassam Haddad, Business Networks: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience in Syria (Stanford: 2012), Chapters 3, 5 and Conclusion. [Text]
Recommended: Bassam Haddad, Business Networks: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience in Syria (Stanford: 2012), Chapter 6. [Text]
C12: Religion and Politics: The Rise and Use of Political Islam(s) Readings:
C13: Case-Study: The Syrian Uprising (Part 3) Readings 1. Samer Abboud, Syria (Polity Press, 2018). Chapters 2 and 3. [Link] 2. Bassam Haddad, "The Debate Over Syria Has Reached a Dead End," The Nation, October 2016. [PDF or Link] 3. Course Conclusion
S. Sharoni and M. Abu-Nimer, in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East, "The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict," Chapter 6. [Text]
Terrorism and the Industry of Terrorism: The Arab/Muslim World in Context A. Culture Talk: Terrorism as Act/Terrorism as Identity B. Individual, Group, and State Terrorism C. The “War on Terrorism” and the Middle East
Readings:
Fred Halliday, “Terrorism in Historical Perspective,” in Open Democracy, April 22, 2004. [CW].
Juan Cole, Blog Entry: “Foreign Occupation Has Produced Radical Muslim Terrorism,” Informed Comment, Blog by Juan Cole, March 7, 2005. [CW]
Glenn Greenwald, “Terrorism: The Most Meaningless Word,” Salon, February 19, 2010. [CW]
Glenn Greenwald, “The Same Motive for Anti-US 'Terrorism' Is Cited Over and Over,” Guardian, April 24, 2013. [Link]
John Esposito, “America’s Response to Terrorism: How to Fight Rather than Feed the Beast,” Huffington Post, January 5, 2010. [CW]
Recommended: Mahmood Mamdani, “Introduction” and “Culture Talk; or How Not to Talk about Islam and Politics” in Good Muslim, Bad Muslim (New York: Pantheon Books, 2004). [CW] Michael Walzer, “After 9/11: 5 Questions about Terrorism,” in Michael Walzer, Arguing about War (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2004). [CW] Interview with Mahmood Mamdani (May 2004), Author of Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror (New York: Pantheon, 2004). [CW] Mervat Hatem, Discourses on the “War on Terrorism” in the U.S. and its Views on the Arab, Muslim, and Gendered “Other,” in Arab Studies Journal, Fall 2003/Spring 2004, (Vol. XI No. 2 / Vol. XII No. 1). [CW]
Questions & Issues to Consider: Is there an “industry of terrorism” (who benefits from advancing a preoccupation with “terrorism”)? To what extent is the term politicized? What is the difference between terrorism and resistance? Is it all a matter of perspective? Who has the power to “define” what kind of violence is legitimate and what kind of violence is not? Why has terrorism become the most important international issue in a world wrought by more costly calamities?
Case Study: The Egyptian Uprising 1. Read all referenced article on the second anniversary of Egypt's revolution here.
Religion and Politics: The Rise and Use of Political Islam(s) and Islamist Parties/Movements
A. What is Political Islam? b. Underlying causes: Various interpretations C. Authoritarian Rule, International Intervention, and Islamism D. Islamic Parties and Islamist Non-State Actors E. The Rise, Expansion, and Limits of ISIS.
Readings: 1. John Esposito, Mohammed A. Muqtedar Khan, and Jillian Schwedler, Chapter 12 “Religion and Politics in the Middle East,” in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2004). 2. Charles Hirschkind, "What is Political Islam?" Middle East Report Oct-Dec 1997, pp. 12-14. [PDF] 3. Philip Khoury, “Islamic Revivalism and the crises of the Secular State in the Arab World,” in Ibrahim Ibrahim, ed., Arab Resources. [CW] 4. Salwa Ismail, "The Study of Islamism Revisited" from Rethinking Islamist Politics, London: I.B. Tauris, 2006, pp. 1-26. [PDF] 5. Jillian Schwedler, “Democratization, Inclusion and the Moderation of Islamist Parties,” Development 50:1, 2007, pp. 56-61. [PDF] 6. Various authors, Rethinking Islamist Politics, Washington DC: Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS), 2014. [PDF] 7. Mahmood Mamdani, “Inventing Political Violence,” Global Agenda, January 2005. [CW]
Recommended: Talal Asad, “Towards an anthropology of Islam.” Adam Hanieh, "A Brief History of ISIS," Jacobin [Link]
Islamist Movements: A Brief Encounter 1. Samer Shehata and Josh Stacher, "The Brotherhood Goes to Parliament," Middle East Report 240 (Fall 2006). [CW] 2. “Hamas's Battle for Hearts and Minds,” The Economist, 27 March 2008. [CW] 3. Lara Deeb, “Hizballah: A Primer,” MERIP, July 31, 2006. [CW]
C12: Social Dynamics: Family and Women, Community, Ethnicity and Class A. Community, Ethnicity, Class B. The Family: Changing patterns C. Women: Differential roles D. The Veil: Meaning and Symbolism E. Colonial Feminism and the Use of Gender Equality in Politics
Readings:
Lisa Taraki, Chapter 11, “The Role of Women,” in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2004). [Text]
Judith Tucker, ed., Arab Women: Old Boundaries, New Frontiers, Ch. X, "The Arab Family in History," pp. 195-207. [CW]
Lila Abu-Lughod, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others,” American Anthropologist, Sep. 2002; 104, 3. [CW]
Maya Mikdashi, "How Not to Study Gender in the Middle East," Jadaliyya, March 2012. [CW]
Paul Amar, "Discourses of "Men in Crisis," Industries of Gender in Revolution," in Journal of Middle East Women's Studies, Vol. 7, No. 3 (Fall 2011). [CW]
Joan Scott, "Gender: Still A Useful Category of Analysis?" Diogenes, 57: 7, 2010. [CW]
Joan Scott, "Gender: A Useful Category of Historical Analysis?" The American Historical Review, Vol. 91, No. 5. (Dec., 1986), pp. 1053-1075. [CW]
Sara Mourad, "Politics at the Tip of the Clitoris," Jadaliyya, May 2012. [CW]
Recommended: Leila Ahmed, Women and Gender, “Introduction.” [CW] Rema Hammami, “Women, the Hijab, and the Intifada,” Middle East Report, No. 164/165 (May-Aug., 1990). [CW] Arlene Elowe MacLeod, “Hegemonic Relations and Gender Resistance: The New Veiling as Accommodating Protest in Cairo,” Signs, Vol. 17, No. 3 (Spring, 1992). [CW] Laurie King Irani, Chapter 10, “Kinship, Class, and Ethnicity,” in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2004). [Text] As`ad AbuKhalil, “Women in the Middle East,” Foreign Policy in Focus, Vol. 5, No. 30, September 2000 [CW] Michael Ross, “Oil, Islam, and Women,” American Political Science Review, Vol 102, No. 1, February 2008. [CW]
Questions & Issues to Consider: What is the relationship between societal development and the role of the family? What is the relationship between the role of the family in the society and gender roles? What are the bases of political action in the Middle East (e.g., communal, sectarian, religious, class, political, economic, cultural)? In studying the Middle East, why does the question of the “veil” become an all-too-important issue when other issues are clearly more significant? Should we take liberal discourse on feminism at face value (e.g., “we invaded Afghanistan partly to liberate their women”)?
C14: Social Dynamics: Family and Women, Community, Ethnicity and Class Readings: 1. Judith Tucker, ed., Arab Women: Old Boundaries, New Frontiers, Ch. X, "The Arab Family in History," pp. 195-207. [CW] 2. Maya Mikdashi, "How Not to Study Gender in the Middle East," Jadaliyya, March 2012. [CW] 3. TBA
Recommended:
Lisa Taraki, Chapter 11, “The Role of Women,” in Deborah J. Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, eds., Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2004). [Text]
C12: Religion and Politics: The Rise and Use of Political Islam(s) Readings:
1. Philip Khoury, “Islamic Revivalism and the crises of the Secular State in the Arab World,” in Ibrahim Ibrahim, ed., Arab Resources. [CW] 2. Jocelyn Cesari, “Political Islam: More Than Islamism,” Religions 12, April 2021. [PDF] 3. Peter Mandaville, “Islamism at a Crossroads? The Diffusion of Political Islam in the Arab World” in James Gelvin (ed.), The Contemporary Middle East in an Age of Upheaval, Palo Alto: Stanford University Press, 2021. [PDF]
Recommended: 1. Charles Hirschkind, "What is Political Islam?" Middle East Report Oct-Dec 1997, pp. 12-14. [PDF] 3. Mahmood Mamdani, “Inventing Political Violence,” Global Agenda, January 2005. [CW]
Presentation of your Research Project Progress Please prepare a 6-minute presentation of your paper/project that includes the following: a) A clear thesis/argument. Share this at the outset, after you share the title of the paper. b) A summary of sources you are using. Why did you pick these not other sources? d) An outline of the argument (What are the sections included in the body of the paper?). This is the bulk of the presentation. e) Preliminary Conclusion