This course examines how economic and social development decisions interact with local and global political considerations. It tracks the rise and fall of different development paradigms across the Middle East and North Africa, including state capitalism, neoliberalism, new state capitalism, rentierism, and late-rentierism.

The course moves between theoretical debates and in-depth empirical case studies of real-world development strategies applied in the Middle East and North Africa, drawing out local debates over the definition and purpose of ‘development’, the interaction of different social and political forces that shape state views on economic development planning, and how these strategies transform class and societal politics over time.

While paradigms of sustainable economic growth, natural resource wealth, and equitable distribution of wealth will be among the central concerns of the course, its scope will be much broader, dealing with the fundamental questions of where these societies are headed, by which paths, and with what human consequences.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. interpret global challenges faced by the world in general and the Middle East in particular;
2. assess the experiences of Middle Eastern states and societies with "development" and the implications of economic adjustment for communities at the meso- and micro-level;
3. re-evaluate the concepts and theories contained within the existing "development" and "modernisation" frameworks;
4. analyse scholarly criticism of developmentalism, both from within the field of development studies, and from outside it; and
5. examine critically the praxis of development based on the Washington Consensus and neo-liberalism.

Research-Led Teaching

This is a research-led course, in which the curriculum draws from the course convenor’s own research interests, and students are asked to participate in research and critical thinking activities throughout the course. During seminars, students are expected to consider diverse perspectives and collaboratively explore their understanding of topical issues in Middle East development. The assessments support student engagement with the academic literature, and with original research.

 

The course encourages students to not only accumulate new knowledge, but also to evaluate how that research was created. Students are specifically encouraged to consider the impact of different intellectual traditions on contemporary literatures (i.e. how the historical development of the discipline has shaped contemporary research debates), and on how various foreign policy and national interest priorities have influenced the type of research pursued in Middle East Studies. Course readings incorporate different methodological and ontological approaches, and are interdisciplinary, drawing from political science, economic history, development studies, sociology, area studies, and international relations, among others. The final section of the last class is left open so that students can select contemporary case studies relevant to the themes of the course; students also participate in selecting the readings for that session, and run the seminar themselves, with minimal involvement from the course convenor, drawing on the knowledge they have built up during the course.

Additional Course Costs

None expected

Examination Material or equipment

The examination in this course is open-book. Certain restrictions apply - advice will be provided in-class and on Canvas.

Required Resources

No required resources

Recommended Resources

This is an intensive course. It assumes only basic background knowledge of the Middle East, however we will rapidly turn to detailed case studies of development in the region. Students with no background knowledge are advised to consult a textbook on Middle East politics or development history before commencing the course. Some books to consult include:

 

·          On Middle Eastern politics in general: Beverley Milton-Edwards, Contemporary Politics in the Middle East (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2006, 2nd Edn);

·          On modern Middle Eastern history: Albert Hourani, A History of the Arab Peoples, (London: Faber and Faber, 1991) or Peter Mansfield, A History of the Middle East (London: Penguin, various edns);

·          On Middle Eastern political economy and development: Clement M. Henry and Robert Springborg, Globalization and the Politics of Development in the Middle East, 2nd Ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010).

 

Students are strongly encouraged to keep up to date with relevant journals on the Middle East, including The Middle East Journal, International Journal of Middle East Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Middle East Policy, Arab Studies Quarterly, Middle East Report, Journal of Arabian Studies, Journal of Palestine Studies, Journal of North African Studies, and International Journal of Contemporary Iraqi Studies. All of these routinely have articles on political economy and development issues that are of use for weekly seminar preparation and essay research.

 

Broader political science and international relations journals are also useful, especially Foreign Affairs, Third World Quarterly, Journal of Developing Societies, World Development, Development and Change, The Washington Quarterly, Survival, International Affairs, and International Organization, among others.

 

Dedicated news magazines on the region include The Middle East magazine (available through Proquest) and Middle East Economic Digest (available through Factiva). The Economist, while a broader business publication, is often of use as well.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

Please refer to Canvas for weekly reading lists, further assessment details, and course announcements.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Conceptualising Development and Economic History of the Middle East to c.1950
2	The State in the Market: State-led Development and New State Capitalism	Presentations start and continue throughout seminars
3	Economic Liberalisation and Crony Capitalism
4	Oil, Gas, and Escaping the Resource Curse
5	Islamic Economics and Debates on Development
6	Gender, Human Rights, and Human Development	Major essay due Fri 18 September (Friday in week 6)
7	Climate Change, Water and Sustainable Development
8	War Economies: Development in Conflict Zones
9	Protest and the Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience
10	Middle East Reaching Out: Cross-regional and International Development Partnerships
11	AI, Technology, and Future-oriented Development
12	Course Review and Student-Selected Topics	Final Assessment runs on Friday in week 12

Tutorial Registration

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.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Major Research Essay	35 %	18/09/2026	1,2,3,4,5
Oral Presentation	15 %	*	1,2,3, 4, or 5
Final Assessment (Examination)	50 %	30/10/2026	1,2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using 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. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Canvas’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Student are expected to attend all course seminars. Lecture slides or notes will be posted on Canvas, but students who do not attend seminars may be disadvantaged, and no special consideration will be given to students who have disadvantaged themselves by not attending classes.

Examination(s)

The final assessment for this course is a written examination.

Assessment Task 1

Major Research Essay

• The major essay is due no later than 4pm Friday 18 September 2026 (week 6).
• It must be on a topic selected from the list supplied at the end of Week 1 on Canvas.
• It should be 4,000 words in length (with 10% leeway).
• It will count for 50% of the total course assessment and final mark.
• The essay will be assessed against one or more of Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, and will be assessed on (in descending order of importance):
• Whether and how well the question is answered;
• Whether and how well an argument is presented;
• The factual accuracy of the essay;
• The depth and sophistication of research demonstrated in the essay;
• Whether academic conventions have been followed; and
• The technical quality of the essay.
•  The essay should be submitted via the link provided on Canvas.
• Students must provide a declaration at the start of the paper regarding use of AI in preparation of their assessment. If AI was used, students must provide screenshots of all work conducted via Gen-AI, such as prompts used, answers produced, how you edited the output and your purpose for using it. You should also apply appropriate acknowledgement and attribution rules. This means using in-text citations where you have quoted or paraphrased Gen-AI text.
• Written feedback will be provided approximately two weeks after submission.

Assessment Task 2

Oral Presentation

·           Students will each make a short oral presentation of roughly 15 minutes (the exact style is flexible), introducing an aspect of the seminar’s topic or looking in detail at one or more readings for it. The aim of the presentation is to encourage active involvement in seminar discussions and as practice in collating and synthesising sets of arguments from the reading.

·           The presentation will test students on at least one of the five ‘Specific Learning Outcomes’.

·           It will be assessed against one or more of Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, and will be assessed on (in descending order of importance):

—    Whether and how well the agreed topic is handled or question is answered;

—    Whether and how well an argument is made and sustained;

—    The factual accuracy of the presentation;

—    The amount and sophistication of thought demonstrated; and

—    The technical quality of the presentation.

·           It will count for 15% of the total course assessment and final mark.

·           Further advice will be provided, and sign-up for the presentations done, in the first seminar.

·           Students may request oral feedback on the assessment one week following their presentation.

Assessment Task 3

Final Assessment (Examination)

• The final examination will be run on Friday 30 October 2026 (time TBC closer to exam date).
• It will be two-and-a-half hours’ duration, plus 15 minutes reading time.
• It will be open-book (with some limitations - advice will be provided in-class ahead of the final exam)
• It will consist of two essays. Further advice on the structure and content of the examination will be provided at the final seminar.
• It will count for 40% of the total course assessment and final mark.
• The exam will be assessed against several of Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and will be assessed on (in descending order of importance):
• Whether and how well the questions posed are answered;
• Whether and how well facts and arguments, as applicable, are presented in the answers;
• The depth and sophistication of knowledge and understanding demonstrated in the examination; and
• Technical quality, while much less of an issue with handwritten assessment such as an examination, is important in that writing must be legible and clear.
• No written feedback will be provided on the final examination, however students may request to see a copy of their assessment once final grades have been released.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission permitted for major research essay only. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Returning Assignments

Feedback on written work as specified in the assessment overviews above will be available via Turnitin. Students may request oral feedback on their presentation one week following their presentation date.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

There is no scope for resubmission of assigments in this course.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students