MES4030 – Themes and Theories in Middle East studies

What is area studies and how does one go about studying a diverse and complicated region like the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)?

This course explores some of the key themes, theories, and debates in the field of Middle East Studies today. The course prepares students for their master's thesis research by providing solid knowledge about the history of MENA area studies and the problems and debates that have shaped the field. In addition, the course provides the necessary background to employ the methodologies introduced in MES4035 – Methods in Middle East Studies: History, Fieldwork, Literature, Linguistics - Methods in Middle East Studies: History, Fieldwork, Discourse Analysis, and Literature in an informed and academically sound manner.

The course materials will familiarize students with themes in the history, societies, cultures, and politics of the Middle East and North Africa along with theories in the social sciences and humanities that have proven especially foundational to Middle Eastern Studies. The course is taught collaboratively by multiple researchers from the Middle East Studies program. Through lectures and seminars with various faculty, students will become acquainted with the broad range of thematic and theoretical expertise among the researchers in the department and will have an opportunity to meet some of the potential supervisors among the faculty for their master's research and theses.

After completing this course, you will be able to

• identify key theorists and theories in Middle East Studies, and central themes and debates in scholarship on the history, societies, cultures, and/or politics of the Middle East.
• describe the emergence and development of area studies in general and MENA studies in particular.
• elaborate on the philosophical aspects of knowledge production (epistemology) and the relation between methodology, theory, and interpretation.
• explain the relation between academic knowledge production, political objectives and ideological struggles.
• assess and analyze approaches that have shaped the history of MENA studies, including Orientalism, Marxism, and post/de-colonialism.
• critically discuss major themes in the study of MENA culture, society and politics since the 1950s and scholarly perspectives on the themes that have proven central to studies of the Middle East today.

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

This course is not available for single course students.

This course is only available for students enrolled in the programme Asia and Middle East studies, programme option Middle East Studies.

The teaching will include eleven topical seminars taught by various members of the faculty, accompanied by coordinating seminars at the beginning, midpoint, and end of the semester held by the course coordinator.

The topical seminars cover the following themes:

1. Middle Eastern Studies Revisited
2. The Politics of Language
3. Islam in History and Contemporary Society
4. Power and the Politics of (Dis)location
5. Gender and Sexuality
6. Authoritarianism and Democracy
7. War and Conflict
8. Political Sociology
9. Kinship
10. Aesthetics and Politics
11. Environment and Climate Change

Compulsory Activities

1. Compulsory attendance: You are required to attend 60% of the seminar teaching. In this course, you must attend at least 7 out of 11 seminars.
2. One in-class presentation that critically engages with the readings over the course of the semester.

You will find more information about the requirements for the compulsory assignment in Canvas.

The approved compulsory activity remains valid for the two following semesters in which the course is offered. However, exceptions may arise if the course undergoes changes in its assessment format, teaching, or other significant modifications.

All compulsory activities must be approved to qualify for the exam. It is your responsibility to verify that you have obtained approval for all compulsory activities.

Absence from compulsory activities:

This course requires at least 60% attendance. This requirement is absolute.

The absence limit should cover normal absences due to illness, etc. You will therefore not be granted a valid excused absence based on a medical certificate, even if the absence is due to circumstances for which you cannot be blamed.

In special cases, for example, in the event of serious or long-term illness, you can apply for special needs accomodations. For questions about special needs accommodations, please contact studentinfo@ikos.uio.no

• Here you will find information about compulsory activities at the Department of Culture, Religion, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

It is important that you familiarize yourself with the rules regarding absence from compulsory activities, to prevent being excluded from teaching and losing your eligibility to take the exam.

More information on compulsory activities at the University of Oslo:

• Common guidelines relating to compulsory activities - University of Oslo (uio.no)

Access to teaching:

A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.

School exam (four hours)

Candidates are required to respond to a set of questions designed to engage with key themes and discussions from the course. Detailed information regarding the exam format will be announced on Canvas.

You must submit the exam in Inspera - see guides for digital exams.

You are personally responsible for familiarizing yourself with the requirements and deadlines for the exam.

All compulsory activities must be completed and approved in order to take the exam.

You can find more information about the exam on the semester page of the course.

It is possible to take a postponed exam in this course if you are sick on the day of the exam, withdraw during the exam due to illness or have another valid absence from the regular exam. You must apply to take a postponed exam and submit documentation dated the same day as the exam.

Students who fail, withdraw or do not attend the exam without a valid reason are not entitled to a postponed exam.