Pol Econ of Authoritarianism

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

The course, an interdisciplinary one, will analyze how politics, economics, and social factors interact in authoritarian regimes in the Arab world. The course will begin by looking at some general literature on authoritarianism and the political economy of authoritarianism (including non-Arab cases), then moves to look at different countries in the region. The seminar will explore the way authoritarian regimes work in practice; why do some last longer than others, and what are their characteristics. The aim of the class is also to understand how life was shaped by authoritarianism. The last lessons will be devoted to looking at post-authoritarian regimes from political and economic points of view.