FRS 002Q —
Sec. 001 —
(2 units) — CRN 65542 — T 9:00-10:50am — 25 Wellman
Political Economy of the Middle East
Instructor: Elias Tuma, Department of Economics, College of
Letters and
Science
Description: The course will introduce students to
various aspects
of the Middle East society, with special focus on the politics and economics of
the region. Demography, the level of economic development, and
political stability
will be central to the discussion, including the obstacles to and
facilities for
development. The main objectives of the course would be to familiarize students
with the resources of the various countries, the potential for development and
change, and the impact of globalization on achieving or retarding
progress toward
the individual country’s potential. A textbook, UNDERSTANDING THE MIDDLE
EAST, 2nd edition, 2003 will guide the discussion. Other readings
will be recommended
in due time. The class discussions will be general, with
illustrations from different
countries, but each student will be encouraged to focus on one country, or on
one topic, such as oil, water, international trade, or relations with
other countries.
Format: Each class session will begin with a
discussion of current
affairs, for about 15 minutes; that will encourage students to pay attention to
events in the news. A discussion of the assigned topic will follow.
Students will
be expected to participate in the discussions; the lecture form will be avoided
to the extent possible. In addition to participation in the
discussion, students
will be expected to write a term paper, (10 pages), on a topic agreed
upon jointly
by the student and the instructor, and a 10-minute presentation of the topic of
the paper. Grading: The grade will be divided as follows: 15%
for attendance and participation, 15% for the presentation, and 70%
for the term
paper.
About the Instructor: I am a Professor Emeritus of Economics,
have taught and published extensively on the Middle East, and
continue to publish
a monthly commentary mainly on the political economy of the region,
with special
emphasis on the Arab-Israeli conflict. I have conducted several
freshman seminars
in the past, as well as 190 courses for upper division which were conducted as
seminars.