GOVT : ARAB FOREIGN POLICY IN THE GULF WARS

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1 GOVT : ARAB FOREIGN POLICY IN THE GULF WARS Department of Government College of William & Mary Fall 2011, Morton Hall 37 Thursday, 5-7:50pm Professor: Debra Shushan Office: Morton Hall 16 Telephone: (757) Office Hours: Fridays 10-noon and by appointment COURSE DESCRIPTION: The overriding goal of this course is to train students to analyze the foreign policies of Arab states. The US-led wars against Iraq in and beginning in 2003 provide the context in which we will consider contemporary Arab foreign policy. The course commences with theoretical grounding in major approaches to foreign policy analysis, upon which students will draw in analyzing particular Arab foreign policies during the Gulf wars. Subsequently, we will examine the Gulf wars, their background, and significance within the Middle East. Within the seminar, we will consider the foreign policies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, the Palestinians, Saudi Arabia, and Libya during the US-led wars against Iraq, and students may choose to examine additional cases in their own research. The course concludes by bringing together theory and empirics in considering what, if anything, renders Arab foreign policy unique. REQUIREMENTS: Grades will be determined according to the following rubric: Participation 30% Oral Participation in Seminar 10% Biweekly Response Papers 12% Leading Class 8% Theory Essay 20% Proposal for Research Paper 10% Research Paper 40% Participation includes three elements. Oral participation in seminar is required of all students, who are expected to complete the assigned readings and contribute actively to discussions. In addition, students will write biweekly response papers, a total of six during the course of the semester. In the response papers, students will comment on one or a few aspects of the readings that caught their attention and pushed them to reply, and/or to ask questions. Response papers should be one single-spaced page, and they must be posted on Blackboard under Assignments by 11am on the day they are due. Students will lead class twice during the course of the semester, 1

2 in pairs or groups of three. Students designated to lead class should meet with their partner/group to develop a joint plan for 1) presenting thought-provoking points in the readings and 2) posing discussion questions. Class leaders should prepare to speak for 20 minutes, and must provide Prof. Shushan with a copy of their presentation notes at the start of class. Students will complete a theory essay (5-7 pages), in which they compare the assumptions and expectations of three approaches to foreign policy analysis (we will discuss these in Weeks 1-3 of class). This will help to prepare students for discussions of case studies, in which they will be expected to apply theoretical frameworks, as well as for their final papers. This essay will be due on Tuesday, September 27 at 5pm via dual submission (hard copy and post on Blackboard). Class members will write a proposal for a research paper, detailing which foreign policies they will examine in their research papers. In the proposal, students should include their question, background information about the cases they will investigate, the possible independent variables (IVs) they will consider, evidence that would lend support to the causal power of each of these IVs, and some bibliographical sources to get them started on their research. Written proposals will be due in class on Thursday, October 27. Prof. Shushan will grade the proposals and schedule individual meetings with students to discuss their research papers. The research paper (18-22 pages) asks students to compare either the foreign policy of a particular state during two different events, or the foreign policies of two Arab states in the same event (e.g. Moroccan foreign policy in the two Gulf wars or Moroccan and Algerian foreign policies in the war). Students will be expected to: 1) integrate theoretical approaches into their analysis, and 2) undertake substantial independent research of their cases. Students may not write on case studies we have already examined in class (e.g. Syrian foreign policy in the two Gulf wars), and have the option of looking beyond the Gulf wars for possible cases. The research paper will be due on Thursday, December 8 at 7pm. CLASS POLICIES: Fourth credit hour. Since this is a four-credit class, we must schedule some out-of-class meeting time to add an additional hours. Students will be expected to attend 4 qualifying events (typically, lectures by visiting experts) over the course of the semester. I will post, and add to, a list of qualifying events on Blackboard. Major writing requirement credit. You must earn a minimum of a C- in order for this seminar to fulfill your major writing requirement. Attendance is crucial, and given the small number of total class meetings, missing one class is significant. Unexcused absences (those not documented by the Dean of Students or the Health Center) will detract from the participation grade. Any time a student is absent, s/he is responsible for the content, as well as any announcements, from the missed class. In this case, the absentee should seek guidance from a fellow student. 2

3 I will penalize late papers, with the sole exception of those accompanied by documentation from the Dean of Students or the Health Center. Otherwise, students will be penalized 1/3 of a letter grade for each day their papers are late. The Honor Code is in effect, and you are responsible for adhering to its provisions against lying, cheating, and stealing (see Plagiarism is a particularly serious violation. If you have any questions about gray areas, as well as proper attribution and citation, please see me. Office hours are an important resource, and I encourage students to come and talk with me about any questions, ideas, and paper topics. Please also let me know of any particular needs or concerns. I may make syllabus changes during the course of the semester. READINGS: Readings for the course generally will be posted on the Blackboard page for our class, under Course Documents. In several cases, Swem subscribes to the periodical in question through its Electronic Journals and you can view the article/book (and print it, if you choose) online. There are no books to purchase for the course at the W&M Bookstore. COURSE OUTLINE: Thurs., August 25 Introductory Meeting No assigned readings Thursday, 1 September I. Foreign Policy Analysis I: International-Level Approaches Kenneth N. Waltz (1979), Theory of International Politics, Chapters 1-5, pp Stephen M. Walt (1987), The Origins of Alliances, Chapter 2, pp Alexander Wendt (1992), Anarchy is What States Make of It: The Social Construction of Power Politics, International Organization 46 (2). Thursday, 8 September II. Foreign Policy Analysis II: Domestic-Level Approaches (Material) Steven R. David (1991), Explaining Third World Alignment, World Politics 43 (2). Laurie A. Brand (1994), Jordan s Inter-Arab Relations: The Political Economy of Alliance Making, Chapter 1, pp

4 Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Alastair Smith, Randolph M. Siverson, and James D. Morrow (2003), The Logic of Political Survival, Chapters 1-3, pp Thursday, 15 September III. Foreign Policy Analysis III: Domestic-Level Approaches (Ideational) Shibley Telhami (1993) Arab Public Opinion and the Gulf War. Political Science Quarterly 108 (3). Marc Lynch (1999), State Interests and Public Spheres: The International Politics of Jordan s Identity, Chapters 1-2, pp Alex Mintz, "The Decision to Attack Iraq: A Noncompensatory Theory of Decision Making," Journal of Conflict Resolution 37:4 (December 1993). Jerrold M. Post (2004), Leaders and their Followers in a Dangerous World: The Psychology of Political Behavior, Chapter 11, pp Thursday, 22 September IV. Gulf War I Marion Farouk-Sluglett and Peter Sluglett (1994), Iraq and the New World Order in The Gulf Conflict and the New World Order, ed. Tareq and Jacqueline Ismael, pp Dilip Hiro (1992), Desert Shield to Desert Storm, pp Edward Said (1991), Thoughts on a War in Beyond the Storm: A Gulf Crisis Reader, ed. Bennis and Moushabeck, pp Theory Essay Due: Tuesday, 27 September at 5pm Thursday, 29 September NO CLASS (Rosh Hashana) Thursday, 6 October V. Gulf War II James DeFronzo (2010) The Iraq War: Origins and Consequences, Chapters 6 and 8. Lawrence Freedman (2004), War in Iraq: Selling the Threat, Survival 46 (2). Thursday, 13 October VI. Case Study I: Egypt in the Gulf Wars Gregory L. Aftandilian (1993), Egypt's Bid for Arab Leadership: Implications for U.S. Policy. 4

5 Daniel Brumberg (1997), From Strategic Surprise to Strategic Gain: Egypt's Role in the Gulf Coalition. In Friends in Need: Burden Sharing in the Gulf War, edited by A. Bennett, J. Lepgold and D. Unger. Jon B. Alterman (2005), Dynamics without Drama: New Options and Old Compromises in Egypt s Foreign Policy, Cambridge Review of International Affairs 18 (3). Thursday, 20 October VII. Case Study II: Jordan in the Gulf Wars Government of Jordan (1991), White Paper: Jordan and the Gulf Crisis, August March Laurie A. Brand (1994), Jordan s Inter-Arab Relations: The Political Economy of Alliance Making, Chapter 8. Marc Lynch (1999), State Interests and Public Spheres: The International Politics of Jordan s Identity, Chapter 5. Neil Quilliam (2006), Jordan, In The Iraq War: Causes and Consequences, edited by R. Fawn and R. Hinnebusch. Marwan Muasher (2011), A Decade of Struggling Reform Efforts in Jordan. Carnegie Endowment Paper. Thursday, 27 October Proposal for Research Paper due in class. VIII. Case Study III: Syria in the Gulf Wars Raymond Hinnebusch (2001), Syria: Revolution from Above, Chapters 7 and Afterword. Flynt Leverett (2005), Inheriting Syria: Bashar s Trial By Fire, Chapter 4. Ross, Dennis (2005), "US Policy toward a Weak Assad." The Washington Quarterly 28 (3): [Swem Electronic Journals] Debra Shulman (2008), Regime Strategy and Foreign Policy in Autocracies: Egypt, Jordan, and Syria during the Gulf Wars, Chapter 5. Thursday, 3 November IX. Case Study IV: Palestinians in the Gulf Wars Anat N. Kurz (2005), Fatah and the Politics of Violence, pp

6 Faisal Husseini, "Palestinian Politics after the Gulf War," Journal of Palestine Studies 20:4 (Summer 1991), pp Norman Finkelstein,"Reflections on Palestinian Attitudes during the Gulf War," Journal of Palestine Studies 21:3 (Spring 1992), pp Rex Brynen and David Romano (2006), "The Palestinians: Finding No Freedom in Liberation" in The Iraq War: Causes and Consequences, eds. Rick Fawn and Raymond Hinnebusch, Thursday, 10 November X. Case Study V: Saudi Arabia in the Gulf Wars F. Gregory Gause, III (1993), "Saudi Arabia: Desert Storm and After" in The Middle East after Iraq's Invasion of Kuwait, ed. Robert O. Freedman, pp Michael Herb (1999), All in the Family: Absolutism, Revolution, and Democracy in the Middle Eastern Monarchies, pp and pp ONLY (skip chapter 3). Madawi al-rasheed (2006), "Saudi Arabia: The Challenge of the US Invasion of Iraq" in The Iraq War: Causes and Consequences, eds. Rick Fawn and Raymond Hinnebusch, pp F. Gregory Gause, III (2011), Saudi Arabia s Regional Security Strategy. In Mehran Kamrava (ed.), International Politics of the Persian Gulf. Thursday, 17 November XI. Case Study VI: Libya in the Gulf Wars Muammar Al-Gathafi (2005), The Green Book, Part 1, pp Tim Niblock (2002),"The Foreign Policy of Libya" in The Foreign Policies of Middle East States, ed. Raymond Hinnebusch and Anoushiravan Ehteshami, pp Luis Martinez (2007), The Libyan Paradox, Chapters 2 and 3, pp Frederic Wehrey (2011), Libya s Terra Incognita Foreign Affairs (28 February 2011). For more Libya fun, check out Muammar Gathafi s website at As evident in the Green Book, the Brother Leader doesn't shy away from sharing his thoughts. Thursday, 24 November NO CLASS (Thanksgiving) Thursday, 1 December XII. Theory & Practice: Is There Anything Distinctive About Arab Foreign Policy? 6

7 Michael N. Barnett (1998), Dialogues in Arab Politics: Negotiations in Regional Order, Chapters 1-2, pp F. Gregory Gause (2003), The Gulf War as Arab Civil War in The Gulf War of 1991 Reconsidered, ed. Andrew J. Bacevich and Efraim Inbar, pp Marc Lynch (2006), Voices of the New Arab Public: Iraq, Al-Jazeera, and Middle East Politics Today, Chapters 1-2, pp Research Paper Due: Thursday, December 8 at 7pm 7