Syllabus

Graduate students are expected to pursue special research topics in greater depth. Recitation for Undergraduate students required.

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 1 session / week, 3 hours / session

Requirements

There are two major course requirements:

First is the nature and extent of class discussion and participation (40% of final grade).

Second is a choice of:

  1. Take home final exam - open books, essay questions, some choice

    or
  2. One research paper - long paper. First select topic, then Instructor OK, then statement of purpose etc. (one para) then Instructor OK; then general outline: then Instructor OK - then you are on your own until first draft

    or
  3. Three short review essays covering the individual parts of the course (60% of final grade) — List of topics provided by Instructor; or you can select your own topic(s)\and get Instructor OK.

Decision to be made by week 3 and no later than week 4. Otherwise, the default holds. Default is the take home final.

Required Texts

Andersen, Roy R., Robert F. Seibert, and Jon G. Wagner. Politics and Change in the Middle East: Sources of Conflict and Accommodation. 6th ed. Engelwood Cliffs N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2000.

Owen, Roger. State, Power, and Politics in the Making of the Modern Middle East. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2000.

Esposito, John L., and John O. Voll. Islam and Democracy. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Fromkin, David. A Peace to End All Peace. New York: Henry Holt and Company, LLC, 2001.

Smith, Charles D. Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin's Press, 2001.