SOCIOLOGY
Bachelor	TR-NQF-HE: Level 6	QF-EHEA: First Cycle	EQF-LLL: Level 6

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code	Course Name	Semester	Theoretical	Practical	Credit	ECTS
POL2634	Middle East Politics	Fall	3	0	3	6

This catalog is for information purposes. Course status is determined by the relevant department at the beginning of semester.

Basic information

Language of instruction:	English
Type of course:	Non-Departmental Elective
Course Level:	Bachelor’s Degree (First Cycle)
Mode of Delivery:	Hybrid
Course Coordinator :	Assoc. Prof. ESRA ALBAYRAKOĞLU
Recommended Optional Program Components:	None
Course Objectives:	The aim of this course is to introduce students to the major political structures and questions in Middle Eastern politics. The first section examines the origins of Middle Eastern states and introduces you to critical structures like religion, tribes, and the family. In the second section, we examine why authoritarianism has persisted in the region, and how it is linked to other issues like nationalism, militarism, and rentierism. The third section assesses the degree to which civil society and social movements—including the revolutionary movements of the ‘Arab Spring’—have challenged longstanding regimes and state structures. And in the fourth and final section, we consider the future of Middle Eastern politics by evaluating some of the lingering concerns and the emerging prospects for liberalization and reform.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
The students who have succeeded in this course;
I. Analyze the Middle East utilizing both historical and theoretical concepts
II. Understand the role of ideology and religion, oil in the Middle East
III. Compare and contrast Middle East countries’ foreign policies
IV. Evaluate the economic, cultural and demographic changes in the Middle East
V. Recognize national and international factors in Middle East foreign policy making process

Course Content

Ancient civilizations; the role of religion; the legacies of colonialism; the Middle East regional system, the impact of the international system on the middle east, the challenge of security in the region.

Weekly Detailed Course Contents

Week	Subject	Related Preparation
1)	An Introduction to the Middle East
2)	Ancient Middle East: Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Phoenicians.
3)	Great Empires: Persian Empire, Carthage, Rome Empire, Egypt and Hellenism.
4)	Religion in the Middle East: Christianity and Judaism
5)	Rise of Islam: The “Golden Age”, Rashidun Caliphate and Split in Islam.
6)	Spread of Islam: Umayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid and Ayyubid Dynasties.
7)	Reconquista in Spain, Andalusia and The Crusades.
8)	Mongol, Seljuq and Byzantine Empires influences in the Middle East.
9)	Rise of the Ottoman Empire. Ottoman’s influence in the Middle East
10)	I. World War, Interwar Period, Second World War and the consequences: Impact of the war on the Jewish public and the region, increasing sympathy towards the Jewish public and Zionism and twice Promised Land.
11)	Modern Middle East: Historic moments, assessments of specific events.
12)	September 11 Attacks: Foreign Policies of the Middle East States, US Post-September 11.
13)	The new world order, new approaches and analysis of current issues.
14)	Review

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks:

William L. Cleveland – Modern Middle East History
Louise Fawcett - International Relations of the Middle East
Raymond Hinnebusch & Anoushiravan Ehteshami - The Foreign Policies of the Middle East States
Ian J. Bickerton - The Arab-Israeli Conflict
Laura Zittrain Eisenberg & Neil Caplan- Negotiating Arab - Israeli Peace
David S. Sorenson - Interpreting the Middle East
Robert D. Lee – Religion and Politics in the Middle East
Peter Mansfield – A History of the Middle East
Bernard Lewis – The Middle East
Benjamin MacQueen - An Introduction to Middle East Politics

References:

Evaluation System

Semester Requirements	Number of Activities	Level of Contribution
Attendance	14	% 20
Midterms	1	% 40
Final	1	% 40
Total		% 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK		% 60
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK		% 40
Total		% 100

ECTS / Workload Table

Activities	Number of Activities	Workload
Course Hours	14	42
Study Hours Out of Class	14	104
Midterms	1	2
Final	1	2
Total Workload		150

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

No Effect	1 Lowest	2 Low	3 Average	4 High	5 Highest

	Program Outcomes	Level of Contribution
1)	To learn and compare major sociology perspectives, both classical and contemporary, and apply all of them to analysis of social conditions.
2)	To be able to identify the basic methodological approaches in building sociological and anthropological knowledge at local and global levels
3)	To be able to use theoretical and applied knowledge acquired in the fields of statistics in social sciences.
4)	To have a basic knowledge of other disciplines (including psychology, history, political science, communication studies and literature) that can contribute to sociology and to be able to make use of this knowledge in analyzing sociological processes
5)	To have a knowledge and practice of scientific and ethical principles in collecting, interpreting and publishing sociological data also develop ability how to share this data with experts and lay people, using effective communication skills
6)	To develop competence in analyzing and publishing sociological knowledge by using computer software for quantitative and qualitative analysis; and develop an attitute for learning new techniques in these fields.
7)	To identify and to have a knowledge of the theories related to urban and rural sociology and demography, and political sociology, sociology of gender, sociology of body, visual sociology, sociology of work, sociology of religion, sociology of knowledge and sociology of crime.
8)	To have knowledge of how sociology is positioned as a scientific discipline from a philosophical and historical perspective
9)	To have the awareness of social issues in Turkish society, to develop critical perspective in analysing these issues and to have a knowledge of the works of Turkish sociologists and to be able to transfer this knowledge
10)	To have the awareness of social issues and global societal processes and to apply sociological analysis to development and social responsibility projects
11)	To have the ability to define a research question, design a research project and complete a written report for various fields of sociology, either as an individual or as a team member.
12)	To be able to transfer the knowledge gained in the areas of sociology to the level of secondary school.