This course provides a critical evaluation of the main paradigms and methods used to study the Middle East and Central Asia. From Oriental Studies, Area Studies to the disciplinary social sciences and humanities, the course explores how specific social, historical, cultural and political contexts affect knowledge production in and on the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. The course examines key methods used by academics in humanities and social sciences (including political scientists, historians, anthropologists and cultural studies scholars among others) to critically structure their research on the Middle East and Central Asia.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- analyse how power and politics affect the production of knowledge about Middle East and Central Asia;
- critically employ key concepts and theories used in studying the Middle East and Central Asia;
- understand the utility of different academic disciplines for the study of the Middle East and Central Asia;
- comprehend and evaluate the various qualitative techniques that are used by researchers in the pursuit of their studies; and
- communicate cogent arguments and research questions with reference to broader methodological and conceptual debates within Area Studies on Middle East and Central Asia.
Indicative Assessment
- 2000 word essay (Research project) (20) [LO 1,2,3]
- Oral presentation of the Research project (10) [LO 1,2]
- 2000 word essay (Students will probe the use of different methods of research and reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of each method /approach) (20) [LO 2,4,5]
- 4000 word essay (Sub-thesis /essay) (50) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
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
260 hours of total student learning time made up from:
a) 24 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 24 hours of seminars; and
b) 236 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
No texts required.
Preliminary Reading
Said, E. Orientalism (Pantheon books 1978)
Sharabi, H. (ed.) Theory, politics, and the Arab world: critical responses (New York: Routledge, 1990).
Hodgson, M. Rethinking World History: Essays on Europe, Islam and World History. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1993).
Tessler, M. A. et al Area Studies and Social Science: Strategies for Understanding the Middle East. (IUP 1999).
Eickelman, D. The Middle East and Central Asia: An Anthropological Approach. (Prentice Hall 2001).
Lockman, Z. Contending Visions of the Middle East: The History and Politics of Orientalism (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004).
Lockman, Z. Field Notes: The Making of Middle East Studies in the United States (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2016)
Mitchell, T. Rule of Experts: Egypt, Techno-Politics, Modernity (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002), pp.273-303.
Gause, G.‘Why Middle East Studies Missed the Arab Spring,’ in Foreign Affairs (July/August 2011).
McFate, M. ‘Mind the Gap: Bridging the Military/Academic Divide’ in Montgomery McFate and Janice Lawrence, eds. Social Science Goes to War: The Human Terrain System in Iraq and Afghanistan (London: Hurst, 2015)
Achcar, G. The People Want: A Radical Exploration of the Arab Spring. (California: UCP 2013).
Deeb L. and Winegar, J. Anthropology’s Politics: Disciplining the Middle East (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2016), pp.143-174 (Ch5. ‘Dis/Engaging the War on Terror’)
Lynch, M. ‘Political Science in Real Time: Engaging the Middle East Policy Public’ in Perspectives in Politics 14,1 (2016), pp.121-131.
Wedeen, L. Ambiguities of Domination: Politics, Rhetoric, and Symbols in Contemporary Syria (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999), pp.87-132.
Lemon, E. ed. Critical approaches to security in Central Asia. (New York: Routledge 2018).
Beyer, J., Rasanayagam, J., & Reeves, M. (2013). Ethnographies of the State in Central Asia?: Performing Politics. Bloomington: Indiana Universi
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you 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). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 12 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 12.00 | 0.25000 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $8400 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $12000 |
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.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3964 | 21 Feb 2022 | 28 Feb 2022 | 31 Mar 2022 | 27 May 2022 | In Person | View |
