MVZb2077 Contemporary Middle East: Conflicts, Crisis, and Challenges

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
1/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Lenka Martínková (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Tomáš Vlček, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Tue 18:00–19:40 P22
Prerequisites
This course is concerned with the newest topics, crises and developments in the region. The course will focus on the individual events which are currently moving the public and political entities in the states and region. Events will be discussed within the brief historical, religious, and cultural context. In that matter, this course will loosely follow up on the courses IREb2012 and MVZb2018. It is not obligatory to pass these courses, however, it can help with the background of the knowledge.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 40 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 16/40, only registered: 0/40
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 8 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
This course will introduce contemporary political, social, and economical situation of the most dynamic region of the world. During the course we will focus on the current global topics and the specific topics for the region (activism, religion, migration, climate change, decarbonization, political pluralism, etc.). We will put events and relations of the main actors in the region into perspective. Course will try to explain the complicated ties and impacts of political decisions. We will talk not only about major actors in the Gulf Area but about the current challenges presented by the environmental changes, energy transitions, liberal and pro-democratic movements, human rights activism, proliferation of the weapons and economic issues. The aim of the course is to introduce Iran and Saudi Arabia as the most important actors; however, course will contain current issues in Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Qatar, Oman, Lebanon, and Israel too. All these countries have problems, crisis, and influence on others in the region. Their politics are strongly entwined and impact the global events. The course will not focus on the history and development of the region but solely on the events of past decade, therefore we will not discuss the Arab spring, but the development and things that arrived after that.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able to understand current issues and relations in the region; understand the complexity of relations and explain the dynamics and impact of individual events; students will also be able to make well-supported arguments in the topic of contemporary conflict, crisis and challenges in the region; and will be able to interpret individual events, political proclamations and crisis within context.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction – main topics, requirements, the introduction of the actors and style 2. Iran – current situation and challenges (liberal movements, economic crisis, NW proliferation and environmental degradation) 3. Iraq – main political actors, goals and challenges (sovereignty, democratic elections, political pluralism and independence) 4. Syria – reconstruction, rule of law and ISIS 5. Saudi Arabia – economic reforms, gender, energy transition. 6. Reading week – group papers preparation 7. Midterm test and discussion session – actualities from the region and the sources of the information 8. Yemen – proxy war, fight for independence, terrorism, the proliferation of weapons 9. Group assignments presentation and discussion 10. Lebanon, Jordan and migration, terrorism, and democracy 11. Israel, Palestine, and stateless nations of the ME – settlements, national self-determination, human rights, Palestinian and Kurdish independence 12. Mediator and Shadow players – Qatar, UAE, Oman (mediation, neutrality, independent journalism, money laundering, sanctions, peace talks and shaking hand with devils) 13. Exam week (Exam will take place in person)
Literature
    required literature
  • CRONIN, Stephanie. Social histories of Iran : modernism and marginality in the Middle East. First published. Cambridge: Cambridge university press, 2021, v, 309. ISBN 9781316641255. info
  • AL-RASHEED, Madawi. The son king : reform and repression in Saudi Arabia. First published. London: Hurst & company, 2020, vii, 394. ISBN 9781787383791. info
  • Syria : from national independence to proxy war. Edited by Linda Matar - Ali Kadri. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019, xv, 296. ISBN 9783319984575. info
  • DELLA PORTA, Donatella, Teije Hidde DONKER, Bogumila HALL, Emin POLJAREVIC and Daniel P. RITTER. Social movements and civil war : when protests for democratization fail. First published. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018, x, 195. ISBN 9781138224186. info
  • BRANDT, Marieke. Tribes and politics in Yemen : a history of the Houthi conflict. London: Hurst & Company, 2017, xxii, 466. ISBN 9781849046466. info
  • AL-RASHEED, Madawi. A history of Saudi Arabia. Second edition. Cambridge: Cambridge university press, 2010, xxii, 317. ISBN 9780521747547. info
  • HOURANI, Albert Habib. A history of the arab peoples. London: Faber and Faber, 2005, xviii, 566. ISBN 0571226647. info
    recommended literature
  • Narrating conflict in the Middle East : discourse, image and communication practices in Lebanon and Palestine. Edited by Dina Matar - Zahera Harb. London: I.B. Tauris, 2013, x, 276. ISBN 9781780761039. info
  • What it means to be Palestinianstories of Palestinian peoplehood. Edited by Dina Matar. New York: I.B. Tauris, 2011, xiv, 214 p. ISBN 9780857718778. info
  • DELLA PORTA, Donatella. Transnational protest and global activism. Edited by Sidney G. Tarrow. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2005, xv, 287. ISBN 0742535878. URL info
  • DELLA PORTA, Donatella and Mario DIANI. Social movements : an introduction. 1st pub. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2001, x, 326. ISBN 0631192131. info
Teaching methods
The presence at the lectures is an obligatory and necessary requirement to be able to finish the course successfully. The lectures are based on discussion and active participation in every class. 1) Students are expected to read the required readings for each lecture. Compulsory readings for the course are to be found in the Study Materials folder of the Information System. 2) Students are expected to attend each lecture, with exceptions stated by the Masaryk University Study and Examination Regulations. 3) Students are expected to participate in all course requirements and be active during the discussion sessions. 4) Presented PowerPoint presentations will be provided in the Study Materials folder of the Information System after each lecture. 5) The teacher has the right to adjust the course schedule and content during the semester.
Assessment methods
The final grade will be calculated as a sum of four parts. The maximum is 50 points; the minimum to complete the course is 26 points. The mid-term test stands for 5 points. Group paper for 20 points, group presentation/discussion participation for 5 points, and actualities for bonus points. Final oral exam for another 20 points (will consist of 2 questions). The exam will be held in person. The grade will be calculated as follows: A 50-46 B 45-41 C 40-36 D 35-31 E 30-26 F 25>
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Teacher's information
https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/fss/podzim2023/MVZb2077/index.qwarp
Lenka Martínková earned her master's degree at the Faculty of Social Studies of Masaryk University in 2018 in the field of International Relations. She is currently a PhD student in International Relations and European Studies with a focus on Middle East energy security. She works as an assistant at the Department of International Relations and European Studies. Her expertise is in the Middle East region, with a specific focus on conflicts, foreign policy and energy security in the Gulf countries.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2023/MVZb2077