GEO8028 : Political Geographies of the Middle East
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Olivia Mason
- Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To provide students with an advanced understanding of the contemporary political geographies of the Middle East
To provide students with an advanced understanding of the key themes and concepts that have characterised the study of the Middle East
To explore the historical forces that have and continue to shape the region
To discuss and critically evaluate the debates that have characterised geographical and other social science scholarship on the Middle East
Outline Of Syllabus
The Middle East is a region of great geopolitical significance that has been subject to competing and complementing projects of domination and exploitation, while all the time remaining a centre of cultural and intellectual significance. How does the category and boundaries of “the Middle East” come into being? How should we understand the Middle East today? What are the political geographies that have made and unmade the region? What challenges does the Middle East face and how might these be overcome? This module examines the Middle East from geographical and other social science perspectives. It does so by drawing on various theoretical approaches and empirical contexts throughout and beyond the region.
Topics to be covered may include:
European imperialism, Arab nationalism, and Zionism
Colonialism, post-colonialiosm, and settler-colonialism
Orientalism
Borders, boundaries and checkpoints
Biopolitics, thanatopolitics, necropolitics
Activism and resistance
War and terrorism
Human rights
Cartography
Oil, energy, and the environment
Geopolitics
Health and health inequalities
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 123 | 1:00 | 123:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 11 | 5:00 | 55:00 | Reading prep for seminars |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Seminars |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The 2-hour weekly seminar will involve a combination of a presentation by the module leader and discussion based around a variety of teaching methods e.g. readings, class-debates, and scenario building depending on the topics covered. The themes of the seminars will relate to the theoretical, methodological and substantive issues outlined in the module aims. The seminar-based teaching and learning methods will enable students to develop employment-related skills such as interpersonal communication, oral presentation, teamwork, planning and organising, information literacy and problem solving.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 2 | M | 100 | 4000 word research paper In writing their research paper, students will be expected to show an ability to collate and evaluate theoretical and empirical material. A chronological or descriptive narrative will not be deemed sufficient to pass this module. |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 2 | M | Essay proposal: To prepare for the essay, you will write a one-page proposal that gives the details of your area of focus, argument, and a list of relevant readings. You will receive feedback on your proposal before submitting the full essay. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
1 x 4000 word research paper
In writing their research paper, students will be expected to show an ability to collate and evaluate theoretical and empirical material. A chronological or descriptive narrative will not be deemed sufficient to pass this module.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- GEO8028's Timetable