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Fall 2007 Middle Eastern Studies Courses |
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MIDDLE EAST STUDIES COURSES FOR FALL 2007 |
| Comparative Politics of the MidEast and North Africa |
| PLCP 341 |
| William Quandt |
| This course will introduce students to the contemporary political systems of the countries of the Middle East and North Africa , the region stretching from Morocco to Iran. We will not be able to cover the politics of each country in depth, but we will study broad themes that are common throughout the region: the struggle for independence; the problems of forming nation-states; the persistence of strong social forces; the role of individual leaders; the weakness of institutions; the emergence of authoritarian regimes; the political reasons for economic underdevelopment; the importance of oil in the formation of rentier states; religion and politics; ethnicity and national identity, with emphasis on the Palestinians and Kurds; the pressures for expanded participation; the political role of women; and the prospects for civil society and democracy. |
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