Comparative Politics of the Middle East

(4 Credits)

Studying comparative politics sheds light on political outcomes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by examining divergent trajectories among countries in the region. As such, the course will focus on both the modern political history of MENA states since independence up to the contemporary period, but with an emphasis on the application of social-scientific theories that explain these historical processes. The topics of this course include the dynamics of authoritarianism and democracy in the Arab region, political Islamist movements, the weight of its professional and entrepreneurial middle classes, and the role of youth and the unemployed in maintaining or challenging the regime. Students will also examine the organization of the state, including the military and the intelligence services, the role of parliaments and elections, and the distribution of wealth.