Politics of Contemporary Lebanon and Syria - ABV100083

• Anglický název: Politics of Contemporary Lebanon and Syria
• Zajišťuje: Katedra Blízkého východu (21-KBV)
• Fakulta: Filozofická fakulta
• Platnost: od 2023 do 2023
• Semestr: letní
• Body: 0
• E-Kredity: 5
• Způsob provedení zkoušky: letní s.:
• Rozsah, examinace: letní s.:1/1, Zk [HT]
• Počet míst: neurčen / neurčen (15)
• Minimální obsazenost: neomezen
• 4EU+: ne
• Virtuální mobilita / počet míst pro virtuální mobilitu: ne
• Stav předmětu: nevyučován
• Jazyk výuky: angličtina
• Způsob výuky: prezenční
• Způsob výuky: prezenční
• Poznámka: předmět je možno zapsat mimo plán; povolen pro zápis po webu; při zápisu přednost, je-li ve stud. plánu
• Garant: Mgr. Jan Daniel, Ph.D.
• Třída: A – Mezioborová nabídka VP: Historické vědy; Exchange - 08.3 History; Exchange - 14.1 Political Sciences

Anotace

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Jan Daniel, Ph.D. (12.09.2021)

This course offers an introduction to the politics of contemporary Lebanon and Syria. It aims to go beyond historical narration of facts and events and provide a broader overview of different social issues and processes that underpin and structure political contestations in both countries. The course starts with brief critical reflection on studying the Middle Eastern politics, discussing the challenges of methodological nationalism and applicability of standard Western Political Science concepts. In the following lectures, the course attends to historical background, focusing mostly on the 20th century history and formation of Syria and Lebanon as distinct political arenas. The course zooms in on several periods in the current history of both countries and uses them to discuss the wider issues that structure their politics (authoritarianism, political economy, sectarian power-sharing, political conflict etc.). The course will be concluded with discussion of three overlapping issues in comparative perspective.

Cíl předmětu

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Jan Daniel, Ph.D. (15.09.2020)

Upon the completion of the course, students will have empirical knowledge of the political and social issues pertaining to contemporary Lebanon and Syria. They will be able to situate these issues within larger regional political and social processes and phenomena and will be able to analyze them in conceptual terms. Finally, students will familiarize themselves with some of the key scholarly and political debates on Lebanese and Syrian politics.

Podmínky zakončení předmětu

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Jan Daniel, Ph.D. (12.02.2023)

Students shall come the lectures prepared by reading the assigned texts. Please follow the Moodle page of the course where you will find the core readings and the exercises. The attendance is compulsory and students may miss the maximum of four lectures to successfully pass the course. Students are required to familiarize themselves with the assigned reading(s) before the class as the lectures directly build on the texts and use them for in-class discussions. Moodle exercises (see below) based on the core readings for each lesson will take place for each lesson. The seminar texts are for non-presenting students only optional.

Furthermore, students will be required to prepare a brief presentation of a selected academic text, reflect on it, prepare set of questions to stimulate the discussion in the class and moderate it with the help of the lecturer.

Finally, students will be required to submit a term paper (2,500 words) discussing one of the selected topics.

Požadavky ke zkoušce

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Jan Daniel, Ph.D. (31.01.2023)

Attendance: Attendance is compulsory, students can miss up to four classes. 

Moodle exercises (40 %): Every week before the class (except for week 1), students shall take a brief online quiz (published on Moodle) focused on understanding the assigned readings. For each quiz, every student may receive up to 4 percent points (2 for each question). Besides, students are also encouraged to post questions related to the class. This requirement applies even to missed classes, however students are allowed to not submit one Moodle exercise of their own choosing.

Presentation (15 %): Each participant is required to prepare a short (max 10 min.) presentation of an assigned text and situate it into broader academic and political debate on the given topic. Presenting students should not describe the text. Rather, they are expected to briefly summarize the main points, critically discuss them, and relate them to wider issues discussed within the class. The presentation should be concluded with a set of questions posed to the class based on the text. These should provide a kick-off for the class discussion. Students are encouraged to approach the instructed before the presentation and consult the structure and main topics they want to highlight.

Final paper (45 %): Each participant is required to prepare a final essay (ca. 2 500 words including references) related to the topic of the course. It is not possible to pass the course without a submission of the final paper. The final paper will be graded according to its argumentation (25 % of the paper’s score), comprehensive and empirically correct grasp of the topic (30 % of the paper’s score), structure (25 % of the paper’s score), style (20 % of the paper’s score). The deadline for your final essay is June 11, 2023.

Sylabus

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Jan Daniel, Ph.D. (31.01.2023)

1) Introduction: Modern Levant, Mandates and formation of sectarian identities

2) Lebanon: Formation of the independent state, Civil war and reconciliation, (memory, trauma, after effects of the war)

3) Syria: Baathism, politics and reform of authoritarian state

4) Lebanon: The post-civil war republic, political economy, hybrid security and breakdown of the state

5) Syria: Road to civil War, War and Current Stalled Conflict

6) Comparison and conclusion: Migration, refugees, economic misery and resillience