COURSE UNIT TITLE

: ARAB SPRING

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
IRE 4126 ARAB SPRING ELECTIVE 3 0 0 6

Offered By

International Relations

Level of Course Unit

First Cycle Programmes (Bachelor's Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR MÜGE AKNUR

Offered to

International Relations

Course Objective

To gain an understanding of the series of popular uprisings that shook the Arab World since 2010. It aims at exploring the political, cultural, geopolitical, and socioeconomic forces that set the stage for these uprisings, in the light of both recent history as well as the approaches of democratic transition. It will also concentrate on unfolding dynamics in Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Tunisia to discern similarities and differences.It wıll also concentrate on the developments in the aftermath of Arab Spring to evaluate ıts success.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   Introduce students to the political, social, and cultural dynamics that led to the popular uprisings.
2   Develop the analytical skills to examine the uprisings in light of theır hıstorıcal background as well as theories of revolutions and democratic transitions.
3   Gain solid, empirical knowledge to identify similarities and differences among countries that seem to be homogenous.
4   Gain an understanding of the period in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 Introduction to Middle East Politics
2 Historical background of Arab Spring
3 Political Factors that caused Arab Spring: Persistence of Authoritarianism
4 Political Factors that led to Arabs Spring: Human Rights Violations
5 Economic Factors that led to Arab Spring: Economic Crisis
6 Economic Factors that led to Arab Spring: Corruption
7 Impact of Social Media and Midterm Exam
8 Impact of External Actors on Arab Spring
9 Student Presentations:Arab Spring ın Tunisia
10 Student Presentations: Arab Spring in Egypt
11 Student Presentations: Arab Spring in Syria
12 Student Presentations: Aftermath of Arab Spring
13 Student Presentations: Other issues
14 Student Presentations: Other issues
15 Group Presentations

Recomended or Required Reading

James Gelvin, The Arab Uprisings: What Everyone Needs to Know, New York: Oxford University Press., 2015.

Philip Howard and Muzammil M. Hussain, Democracy s Fourth Wave, Digital Media and Arab Spring, New York: Oxford University Press, 2013.

Lin Noueihed and Alex Warren, The Battle for the Arab Spring, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2012.

Laurel E. Miller et al. Democratization in the Arab World, Prospects and Lessons from around the Globe, Arlington, VA: Rand Corporation, National Defense and Research Institute, 2012.

Rex Brynen et al. Beyond the Arab Spring, Authoritarianism amd Democratization in the Arab World, Boulder, Co: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2012.


Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

1. Lecture
2. Exam or Assignment
3. Paper and Presentation

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MT Midterm
2 TRP TermPaper
3 PRS Presentation
4 FN Final
5 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE MT * 0.30 + TRP * 0.30 +PRS * 0.10 + FN * 0.30
6 RST RESIT
7 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MT * 0.30 +vTRP * 0.30 + PRS * 0.10 +RST * 0.30


*** Resit Exam is Not Administered in Institutions Where Resit is not Applicable.

Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

The Rubric for the Evaluation of the Term Papers and their presentations

Introduction to the subject: Give a detailed explanation of the significance of your subject and the sequence in which it will be examined throughout the paper (10 points)
Introduction to the subject under examination is not provided - Poor (0 %)
Introduction to the subject under examination is insufficiently provided - Fair (40%)
Introduction to the subject under examination is offered although the order is unclear. - Good (60%)
Introduction to the subject under examination is sufficiently provided -Very good (80%)
Subject under examination is thoroughly presented, and the sequence in which it will be examined throughout the paper is well described. - Excellent (100%)

Explanation of the theoretical framework in which you will analyze your paper topic. (10 points)
Theoretical framework is not explained - Poor (0%)
Theoretical framework is explained weakly and inadequately - Fair (40%)
Theoretical framework is offered, but its relevance to the issue is not properly proved. - Good (60%)
Theoretical framework is superficially examined and its relevance to the issue is properly explained- Very good (80%)
Theoretical framework is thoroughly analyzed, and its relevance to the topic under examination is clarified - Excellent (100%)

Historical Background: Examination of the historical background to help to analyze the current situation. (10 points)
The historical background is not examined - Poor (0%)
The historical background is examined insufficiently. - Fair (40%)
The historical background is examined overly brief or overly detailed. - Good (60%)
The historical background is examined sufficiently - Very good (80%)
The historical background is adequately and accurately examined. - Excellent (100%)

Case Study: Analysis of the case study according to the theoretical framework. (25 points)
The case study is not analyzed in depth -- superficial research - Poor (0%)
The case study is not sufficiently examined -Fair (40%)
The analysis of the case study has some weaknesses - Good (60%)
The case study is analyzed sufficiently - Very good (80%)
The case study is properly and adequately analyzed with the help of the theoretical framework - Excellent (100%)

Conclusion: Provide and discuss theoretically informed and empirically supported arguments to achieve a coherent and analytical study (15 points)
No conclusion provided - Poor (0%)
Conclusion provided is insufficient and inconsistent. Fair (40%)
Conclusion is adequate but composed in a disorganized way. - Good (60%)
An explanatory and systematic conclusion is written. - Very good (80%)
Conclusion is developed coherently and analytically, within the scheme of theoretical framework. - Excellent (100%)

Citation in the text and references according to APA style (15 pts)
No citation in the text and no bibliography provided - Poor (0%)
Standard citation and reference style (APA) are not used - Fair (40%)
Citation in the text and references at the end are written with major mistakes according to APA style - Good (60%)
Citation in the text and references at the end are written with minor mistakes according to APA style - Very good (80%)
Citation in the text and references at the end are written properly according to APA style - Excellent (100%)

Types of references used in the paper (Journal articles and books in English or Turkish or internet sources) (15 pts)
Only internet sources are shown as references throughout the essay - Poor (0%)
Internet sources and translation of Turkish books are shown as references throughout the essay - Fair (40%)
Journal articles and books from the internet are shown as references throughout the essay - Good (60%)
Journal articles and books from less known publishers are shown as references thr

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules

70 percent attendance is compulsory.
Plagiarism of any kind will result with the failure of the student from the course.
Participation in class is compulsory.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

Assoc. Prof. Muge Aknur
muge.aknur@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

TBA

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 14 3 42
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 14 5 70
Preparation for midterm exam 1 10 10
Preparing report 1 20 20
Preparing presentations 1 5 5
Preparation for final exam 1 10 10
Preparing presentations 0 0 0
Midterm 1 2 2
Final 1 2 2
Quiz etc. 0 0 0
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 161

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11PO.12PO.13
LO.15
LO.25
LO.35
LO.45