POLS 210Contemporary Politics of the Middle East
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the major political, social and economic challenges and dilemmas facing the modern Middle East. Each week, we will discuss a key issue and concept, such as colonial legacies, state-society relations, the oil economy, authoritarianism, democratisation, religion and politics, gender relations, identity and politics, civil society, and the future of the Middle East in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.
On this page
Course details
- Dates
- 7 Jul 2025 to 9 Nov 2025
- Starts
- Trimester 2
- Fees
- NZ$1,090.60 for
- International fees
- NZ$5,560.00
- Lecture start times
- Monday 12.00pm
- Wednesday 11.00am
- Campus
- Kelburn
- Estimated workload
- Approximately 200 hours or 11.8 hours per week for 17 weeks
- Points
- 20
Entry restrictions
- Prerequisites
- (40 100-level POLS or INTP pts) or GLBL 101;
- Corequisites
- None
- Restrictions
- POLS 211 (2019–2020), INTP 201 in 2023
Taught by
School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations—Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
About this course
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the major political, social and economic challenges and dilemmas facing the modern Middle East. Each week, we will discuss a key issue and concept, such as colonial legacies, state-society relations, the oil economy, authoritarianism, democratisation, religion and politics, gender relations, identity and politics, civil society, and the future of the Middle East in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.
Course learning objectives
Students who pass this course should be able to:
analyse key developments and political processes pertinent to the contemporary Middle East.
applytheir own critical and analytical approach to contextualise the region within wider debates and scholarship of world politics.
reach their own conclusions about current events in the Middle East.
How this course is taught
This course is offered in dual mode and arrangements will be made in delivery of this course to ensure that all students are able to access course content.
Assessment
- Tutorial Exercises (x5) Mark: 15%
- Research Proposal Mark: 15%
- Research Essay Mark: 35%
- Final Test (in-person) Mark: 35%
Assessment dates and extensions
Once you've signed up to this course, you can use to see due dates for assessments and information about extensions.
Mandatory requirements
There are no mandatory requirements for this course.
Lecture times and rooms
What you’ll need to get
You do not need to get any texts or equipment for this course.
Who to contact
Selected offering
POLS 210
7 Jul–9 Nov 2025
Trimester 2 · CRN 33221