Course description
The course places current Middle Eastern political issues and events within the context of existing political theories. In the course we will discusses the politics and ideology of Different countries in the middle east, the creation of modern political institutions that govern them sand how they function. Finally, we will cover some chapters of the current Middle Eastern Politics that are often referred to in terms of reference to the ”Abraham Accords” that and seem to be of particular current interest.

The course will emphasize that: (1) Middle Eastern Politics must be understood in light of the culture and history of the Jewish and the Arab people who make the bulk of its population. (2) Politics must be taught and understood from a theoretical perspective. It is not enough to count events. We must provide a theoretical account of the logic behind them.

The Course is divided into 4 parts: Introduction, Theory, Contemporary Middle Eastern Politics and the Aftermath of the Abraham Accords and the War in Ukraine.

Each student will have to give a class presentation describing one Arab country of choice and write one memo on each of the four parts. The memos will count for 40% of the final grade, 10% each; the class presentation will count for 20%; class participation will count for 10% and 30% of the final grade will be determined by the grade on the final short paper of five to eight pages extending the class presentation or on any other topic of choice.

Themes of the course
Introduction to Middle Eastern Realities
Introduction to Political Science and Rational Choice Theory
Rational Choice Theory I: The Collective Action Problem
Rational Choice Theory II: The Collective Choice Problem
Resource Allocation and the Study of Comparative Politics
Contemporary Middle East: Ideology, Culture, Political Economy and Institution
The Road to the Abraham Accords: An Institutional Perspective
An acute action in Historical Perspective
The aftermath of the Abraham accords and the war in Ukraine
Done Deal what next
Conclusion: Predicting the Fate of the Future of the Middle East

Required Books
Bickerton and Klausner: A History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict (6th Edition) ISBN: 9780205753383
Doron, Gideon and Itai Sened 2001: Political bargaining: theory, practice and process, ISBN: 0761952519
Jason D. Greenblatt 2022: In the Path of Abraham: How Donald Trump Made Peace in the Middle East–and How to Stop Joe Biden from Unmaking It • ISBN: 101637583095

Last updated: January 30, 2025