Module Information
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 18 Hours. 18 x 1 Hour Lectures |
| Seminars / Tutorials | 5 Hours. 5 x 1 Hour Seminars |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | 1 x Teamwork Participation | 15% |
| Semester Assessment | 1 x 2,000 word essay | 30% |
| Semester Assessment | 1 x Electronic-Portfolio | 15% |
| Semester Exam | 2 Hours 1 x 2 hour exam | 40% |
Brief description
This module aims to examine the relationship between religion and politics in the Middle East and to analyze the compatibility of Islam with European modernity. The module begins by assessing why the role of religion in world politics is ignored by International Relations (IR) theories. It then examines the four case-studies of Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. It particularly explores the impact of these key issues on the development of the modern Middle East. The module concludes by examining the contemporary debates since 9/11 such the Islamic threat, the ‘clash of civilizations’, the Islamic ‘terrorism’ and the Kurdish Question.
Content
Religion and Politics in the Middle East
Session 1 Religion and International Relations
Session 2 The Modern State System and the Middle East
Session 3 The Rise of Islamic Revolution: Iran
Session 4 Islam and Secular Nationalism: Turkey
Session 5 Zionism and Secular State: Israel
Session 6 Wahabism and True Islam: Saudi Arabia
Session 7 Islam, Modernity and Women
Session 8 Democratization in the Middle East
Session 9 The Islamic Threat and Al Qaida Terrorism
Session 10 Contemporary crises: the Kurdish Question
Session 11 Revision
Aims
This module aims to examine the relationship between religion and politics in the Middle East and to analyze the compatibility of Islam with European experience of modernity. Different trajectories of the relationship between religion and politics will be drawn and discussed in relation to the key issues of IR such as the rise of the modern state, nationalism, secularization, democratization and gender equality.
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 6