This course examines in detail the debates over the democratisation of Muslim societies. It begins by an examination of modern Islamic thought and considers diverse views of the state, authority, pluralism, and citizenship. It assesses the importance of political culture and structural factors to the emergence of democracy. In doing so, it critically examines essentialist and exceptionalist assumptions about Middle Eastern and Muslim societies, the role of elections, the position of Islamist movements, the constraints on democratic consolidation, and the possibilities of ‘exporting' democracy. While the course is organised thematically, examples are drawn from a number of specific cases and democratic theory is invoked in order to relate the specificity of Muslim societies to broader debates.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
To understand the diverse normative positions on democracy and political authority in contemporary Muslim societies; to assess the importance of elections in the Middle East as a marker of political liberalisation; to assess whether democratization can be assisted by external intervention; to evaluate the academic controversies on the subject.Indicative Assessment
1 x 4,000 - 5,000 word essay = 50%
1 in-class oral presentation = 10%
1 x 3 hr examination to be held in exam period at end of semester = 40%
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
One two-hour seminar per week for 11 weeks. Regular attendance is compulsory.
Preliminary Reading
John L. Esposito and John O. Voll, Islam and Democracy. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.Larry Diamon, Marc F. Plattner, and Daniel Brumberg, Islam and Democracy in the Middle East. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2003.
Specialisations
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $3252 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $4638 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9855 | 18 Jul 2016 | 29 Jul 2016 | 31 Aug 2016 | 28 Oct 2016 | In Person | N/A |