History and Politics of North Africa and the Middle East
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
The course aims at providing students with an advanced understanding of the relationship between Islam and politics in the contemporary MENA region, with the methodology to analyse this theme in a range of settings and with an adequate lexicon.
Expected learning outcomes
By studying the most relevant events of North African and Middle eastern history, students will acquire an awarenesss of the origins of currents events in a crucial area of the world and will be enabled to comprehend and critically analyse them.
Lesson period: Third trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Third trimester
Course syllabus
After a methodological introduction, the course will focus on the following topics: the decline of the Ottoman Empire; Nahda and secular/religious reformist movements; post-WW1 Middle East and European colonialism; post-WW2 Middle East and the Pan-Arab period, with a special focus on political and ideological dynamics of Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon; Arab-Israeli wars; jihadism and sectarianism; contemporary Middle East from "Desert Storm" operation to the Arab Springs.
Prerequisites for admission
A general understanding of modern-contemporary history and Islamic principles is required.
Teaching methods
A) Lectures B) Student presentations (organized in small groups to analyze a specific topic assigned by the professor) will be discussed at the end of the course.
Teaching Resources
Attending students: selected parts of P. Mandaville, Islam and Politics, Routledge, 2020, which is available online on the university library's website (from p. 73 to end of ch.3, pp. 134-161, 197-209, ch. 5, ch. 6 , ch. 7 until p. 377). You may use also the 2014 edition (pp.74-115, 134-161, 191-198, 203-265, 270-321, 328-351).
Non-attending students: P. Mandaville, Islam and Politics, Routledge, 2020.
Non-attending students: P. Mandaville, Islam and Politics, Routledge, 2020.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Written exam with the aim of assessing the knowledge of the themes covered by the program, the ability to demonstrate critical thinking, and the mastery of an appropriate terminology. Attending students are given the opportunity to choose between an oral or a written exam, and their active participation in class discussions will be considered. As for written exams, they will last an hour and a half and consist of 3 questions for non-attending students and 2 for attending students. Final evaluation is expressed on a 30-point scale: the student needs at least 18/30 to pass the exam.
SPS/14 - ASIAN HISTORY AND INSTITUTIONS - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Primavera Mauro
Professor(s)