State and society in north africa and the mediterranean region

The objective of this course is to give students a more nuanced and complete understanding of the MENA region, its states, and its peoples. Specifically, the course provides the basic tools for the knowledge of the politics of the Middle Eastern states, with particular reference to the study of regional social, political, and security issues.

At the end of the course, students will be able to articulate informed and coherent arguments about the main traits of MENA politics by referring to the relevant scholarly literature. Further, students will be able to explain who are the main national, regional, and extra-regional actors that count and what are the main logics for contemporary conflicts and tensions in the MENA region. In addition, students will have the opportunity to develop their own professional thinking in this field. Students will acquire a top-down and a bottom-up perspective on the major historical processes and developments in the modern Middle East; to formulate her/his arguments clearly (by oral presentation and class discussion); to evaluate and compare between events and processes across the time; begin to offer a critical view of the academic literature.