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Semester 2

The Middle Eastern State: Histories and Theories (PLIT10124)

Subject

Politics

College

CAHSS

Credits

20

Normal Year Taken

3

Delivery Session Year

2023/2024

Pre-requisites

Visiting students must have completed 4 Politics courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses, and we cannot consider interdisciplinary courses or courses without sufficient Politics/Government/International Relations focus. **Please see Additional Restrictions below**

Course Summary

This course offers an overview of the social theories of studying the modern state. It also examines state theory as it is seen through the study of the Middle East. State theories and analytical approaches will be discussed in a historically contextualized manner drawing on histories of states in different parts of the world including Europe and the Middle East.

Course Description

The state has been central in the study and practice of Middle Eastern politics. At the same time, claims about the modern state have deep roots in historical and theoretical understandings of the modern state generally, and its manifestations in the Middle Eastern context. This course offers an overview of the social theories of studying the modern state. It also examines state theory as it is seen through the study of the Middle East. State theories and analytical approaches will be discussed in a historically contextualized manner drawing on histories of states in different parts of the world including Europe and the Middle East. Theoretical and analytical problems in the study of the state in the Middle Eastern context will be examined thorought. They include, for example: the colonial state, the national state, the Rentier State, the developmental state, the "artificial" state, state failure, and state-building.

Assessment Information

Written Exam 0%, Coursework 90%, Practical Exam 10%

Additional Restrictions

Unless you are nominated on a Politics exchange agreement, visiting students are only permitted to enrol in one Politics course each, per semester, before the start of the relevant semester’s welcome period – and spaces on each course are limited so cannot be guaranteed for any student. Enrolment in a second Politics course will depend on whether there are still spaces available in the January Welcome Period, and cannot be guaranteed. It is NOT appropriate for students to contact staff within this subject area to ask for an exception to be made; all enquiries to enrol in these courses must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. This is due to the limited number of spaces available in this very popular subject area.

view the timetable and further details for this course