POLS 5285 Comparative Politics and the Middle East Fall 2015 Kevin Koehler Department of Political Science Office: HUSS 2033 Mail: kevin.koehler@aucegypt.edu Monday, 5-7:40 Waleed CP67 Aims and Objectives This course covers topics in Middle Eastern politics from the perspective of general debates in Comparative Politics. The main objective is to critically apply concepts and methods developed in Comparative Politics to the region and to practice the development of research projects in the process. We will focus extensively on the Arab Spring as a challenge for political science research. Participants are encouraged to experiment with and develop research agendas bridging the gap between an area studies approach focusing on the Middle East and Comparative Politics as a cross-regional and crosscultural research program. After this course, participants will be able to: 1) Outline the main areas in which Middle Eastern politics has influenced debates in Comparative Politics; 2) Name and engage with the main contributions in each field; 3) Define their own research agenda in relation to these debates. Readings We will use the following book in class (an electronic copy will be made available): Jason Brownlee, Tarek Masoud, and Andrew Reynolds (2015): The Arab Spring: Pathways of Repression and Reform, (Oxford: Oxford University Press).! 1
This book is merely the basis for a deeper engagement with selected issues. Additional readings will be assigned for specific sessions (see below). Requirements 1. Active participation: Your participation in class discussions is absolutely essential for this class to work. Active participation includes, but goes beyond attendance. Your contributions to class discussions will be used to assess how well you prepared by doing the readings and reflecting on the issue to be discussed beforehand. 2. Class presentation: All participants will be asked to take responsibility for one session. This includes a presentation of 20-30 minutes that goes significantly beyond the assigned readings. Excellent class presentations stimulate debate on the issues raised in the required readings by providing additional perspectives. 3. Reaction paper and book review OR research outline and final paper: You can choose between writing a reaction paper and a book review, or developing a research outline and a final paper. I highly recommend that those of you who would like to write their MA theses in Comparative or Middle Eastern Politics choose option 2. 3.1. Reaction paper and book review: (1) Reaction paper: Critically engage with the assigned readings for one session. This includes summarizing the readings, putting them in relation to each other, and critiquing them. You are encouraged to use additional sources to support your point (length 2,000 words; to be submitted by email on 15 October 2015). (2) Book reviews: choose two recent books in Middle Eastern or Comparative Politics and write a book review. If you are unfamiliar with the format of book reviews, please consult published reviews before writing yours (length 4,000 words; to be submitted by email on 1 December 2015). 3.2. Research outline and final paper: (1) Develop a research outline based on your own research interests in Middle Eastern politics. Good research outlines state a puzzle, a preliminary answer to the puzzle (hypothesis), and a case selection (no required length; to be submitted by email on 15 October 2015). (2) Develop a research paper from the outline (length 4,000-6,000 words; to be submitted by email on 1 December 2015). OR! 2
Grades Rubrics with detailed grading criteria will be made available for all assignments. Grade composition Cut-off points: Active participation 20% A 94 Class presentation 30% A- 90 AND B+ 86 Reaction paper 20% B 82 Book review 30% B- 78 OR C+ 74 Research question 20% C 70 Final paper 30% C- 66 Total 100% F <=65 Schedule of sessions Date Topic 1) 7 September Introduction, assignment of countries and topics 2) 14 September Why compare? 3) 21 September Case selection Research Design Recap Topics 4) 28 September Transitology 5) 5 October Authoritarian durability 6) 12 October Political economy and development 7) 19 October Protest and contention 8) 26 October The Military Applications 9) 2 November Arab Spring I: Theoretical perspectives 10) 9 November Arab Spring II: Breakdown and survival 11) 16 November Arab Spring III: Beyond breakdown 12) 23 November NO CLASS (MESA Annual Meeting) 13) 30 November Arab Spring IV: Conflict 14) 7 December Conclusion! 3
Detailed schedule: 1) Introduction 2) Why compare? Lichbach, Mark Irving. 2009. Thinking and Working in the Midst of Things, in: Mark Irving Lichbach and Alan S. Zuckerman (eds.): Comparative Politics: Rationality, Culture, and Structure, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 18-71. Lim, Timothy C. 2010. Doing Comparative Politics: An Introduction to Approaches and Issues, Boulder: Lynne Rienner, Introduction. 3) Case selection Geddes, Barbara. 2003. Paradigms and Sand Castles. Michigan: University of Michigan Press, Chapter 3. Lijphart, Arend. 1971. Comparative Politics and the Comparative Method. The American Political Science Review 65 (3): 682 93. Lim, Timothy C. 2010. Doing Comparative Politics: An Introduction to Approaches and Issues, Boulder: Lynne Rienner, Chapter 2. 4) Transitology O Donnell, Guillermo and Philippe C. Schmitter 1986. Tentative Conclusions About Uncertain Democracies, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Albrecht, Holger, and Oliver Schlumberger. 2004. Waiting for Godot : Regime Change Without Democratization in the Middle East. International Political Science Review 25 (4): 371 92. Baaklini, Abdo I, Guilain Denoeux, and Robert Springborg. 1999. Legislative Politics in the Arab World: The Resurgence of Democratic Institutions. Boulder, Colo.: Lynne Rienner Publishers. Carothers, Thomas. 2002. The End of the Transition Paradigm. Journal of Democracy 13 (1): 5 21. Korany, Bahgat, Rex Brynen, and Paul Noble. 1995. Political Liberalization and Democratization in the Arab World. Boulder, Colo.: Lynne Rienner Publishers. O Donnell, Guillermo, and Philippe C. Schmitter. 1986. Transitions from Authoritarian Rule, Vol. 4: Tentative Conclusions about Uncertain Democracies. The Johns Hopkins University Press.! 4
5) Authoritarian durability Brownlee, Jason. 2007. Authoritarianism in an Age of Democratization. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Introduction and Chapter 1. Gandhi, Jennifer and Adam Przeworski. 2007. Authoritarian Institutions and the Survival of Autocrats, Comparative Political Studies 40 (11): 1279-1301. Blaydes, Lisa. 2011. Elections and Distributive Politics in Mubarak s Egypt. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Brownlee, Jason. 2007. Authoritarianism in an Age of Democratization. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Gandhi, Jennifer, and Ellen Lust-Okar. 2009. Elections Under Authoritarianism. Annual Review of Political Science 12 (1): 403 22. Gandhi, Jennifer. 2008. Political Institutions under Dictatorship. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Lust-Okar, Ellen. 2005. Structuring Conflict in the Arab World Incumbents, Opponents, and Institutions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Masoud, Tarek E. 2014. Counting Islam: Religion, Class, and Elections in Egypt. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Schlumberger, Oliver, ed. 2007. Debating Arab Authoritarianism: Dynamics and Durability in Nondemocratic Regimes. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Stacher, Joshua. 2012. Adaptable Autocrats: Regime Power in Egypt and Syria. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Wedeen, Lisa. 1999. Ambiguities of Domination: Politics, Rhetoric, and Symbols in Contemporary Syria. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.. 2008. Peripheral Visions Publics, Power, and Performance in Yemen. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 6) Political economy and development King, Stephen J. 2009. The New Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, Chapters 3 and 4. King, Stephen J. 2003. Liberalization against Democracy the Local Politics of Economic Reform in Tunisia. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. King, Stephen J. 2009. The New Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.! 5
Haddad, Bassam. 2012. Business Networks in Syria: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Richards, Alan, and John Waterbury. 2009. A Political Economy of the Middle East. Third Edition. New York: Westview Press. 7) The military Cook, Steven A. 2007. Ruling but Not Governing: The Military and Political Development in Egypt, Algeria, and Turkey. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press., Chapters 1 and 2. Quinlivan, James T. 1999. Coup-Proofing: Its Practice and Consequences in the Middle East. International Security 24 (2): 131 65. Be eri, Eliezer. 1970. Army Officers in Arab Politics and Society. New York: Praeger. Bou Nassif, Hicham. 2014. Generals and Autocrats: Coup-Proofing and Military Elite Behavior in the 2011 Arab Spring. PhD Thesis, Bloomington: Indiana University. Brooks, Risa. 1998. Political Military Relations and the Stability of Arab Regimes. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Cook, Steven A. 2007. Ruling but Not Governing: The Military and Political Development in Egypt, Algeria, and Turkey. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Halpern, Manfred. 1965. The Politics of Social Change in the Middle East and North Africa. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Taylor, Willian C. 2014. Military Responses to the Arab Uprisings and the Future of Civil-Military Relations in the Middle East: Analysis from Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, and Syria. Palgrave Macmillan. 8) Protest and contentious politics Beinin, Joel and Frédéric Vairel (eds.). 2011. Social Movements, Mobilization, and Contestation in the Middle East and North Africa. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, Introduction. Tarrow, Sidney. 2011. Power in Movement: Social Movements and Contentious Politics, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Introduction and Chapter 1. Albrecht, Holger. 2010. Contentious Politics in the Middle East: Political Opposition under Authoritarianism. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.. 2013. Raging against the Machine: Political Opposition under Authoritarianism in Egypt. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University.! 6
Beinin, Joel, and Frédéric Vairel (eds.). 2011. Social Movements, Mobilization, and Contestation in the Middle East and North Africa. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. Della Porta, Donatella. 2014. Mobilizing for Democracy: Comparing 1989 and 2011. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Tarrow, Sidney G. 1998. Power in Movement Social Movements and Contentious Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 9) Arab Spring I: Theoretical perspectives Brownlee et al. 2015, Intro and Chapter 1. 10) Arab Spring II: Breakdown and survival Brownlee et al. 2015, Chapters 2 and 3. 11) Arab Spring III: Beyond breakdown Brownlee et al. 2015, Chapters 4 and 5. 13) Arab Spring IV: Conflict Cederman, Lars-Erik, Kristian Skrede Gleditsch and Halvard Buhaug 2013. Inequality, Grievances, and Civil War. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Intro and Part II.! 7