FRS 002H —
Sec. 001 —
(2 units) — CRN 55904 — T 10:00-11:50am — 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 and the US campaign to promote economic reform and democracy in the
Greater Middle East. There will be an introductory discussion of
demography, the
level of economic development, and political stability, 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, the impact of globalization, and a
critical analysis
of the US proposed economic reform and democratization agenda. 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; to 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 approved by the
instructor, and a 10-minute presentation of the topic of the paper.
Grading:
The grade will be divided as follows: 15% for participation in discussions, 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.