7/30/2019 Sotirovic NEAR EASTERN STUDIES Course Description
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DESCRIPTION OF COURSE UNIT
1.
Course unit title Code
Near Eastern Studies SL213M070202
2.Name of lecturer(s) Departament(s)
Coordinator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vladislav Sotirovi
a. o: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vladislav Sotirovi
Institute of Political Sciences
3.
Cycle of course unit Level of course unit Type of course unit
II cycle Not applicable Optional
4.
Mode of delivery Year of study and semester when
the course unit is delivered
Language of instruction
Face-to-face 2 semester English, Lithuanian
5.
Study requirements
Prerequisites Co-requisites Internship
Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable
6.
Recommended optional programme components
Not applicable
7.
Number of ECTS credits
allocated
Student's workload Contact work hours and
planned learning activities
Independent work hours
6 162 34 128
8.
Purpose of the course unit: programme competences to be developed
The purpose/aim of the course is to give to the students a knowledge about the
characteristics of political, economic, social and cultural developments of the
countries from the region of the Middle East
Learning outcomes of theprogramme Learning outcomes of the courseunit Teaching andlearning methods Assessment methods
3.2. Is able to present ideas to the
wide audience as well as work
individually and within target
groups in volatile situations
creatively
To be able to understand
characteristics of the region of the
Middle East. To be able to analyze
foreign literature on regional
political system development and
economic and social characteristics
Problem learning Control work
4.1. Is familiar with and able to
critically assess possibilities of
political, economic, social and
cultural relations between subjects
representing different civilizations
To be able to analyze historical,
geographic and cultural
characteristics of the Middle East
region. To be able to analyze
regional security problems and
Case studies Written exam
7/30/2019 Sotirovic NEAR EASTERN STUDIES Course Description
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and to be open to the cultural
diversity
they ways to be settled
6.2. Is able to provide
recommendations and proposals on
the issues of international politics
and economics based on the
analysis of political, social,economic and cultural processes in
Asian countries
To be able to do case study and
political problem analyze
Learning and
organization of the
work by electronic
means (moodle)
Group or individual
presentation
7.1. On the basis of research and
practice is able to influence
shaping the politics of foreign and
international economy on the
national and European levels by
proposing rational inquiries and
inspections tackling economic and
political problems in Asia, Europe,
and Lithuania
To be able to criticize an
opponents view within a
framework of tolerance and
competence
Co-operative
learning method
Group or individual
presentation
9.
Course contens
Topics
Contact work hours and planned learning
activities
Independent work hours
and tasks
Lectures
Co
nsultations
Seminars
Training
exercises
Lab
aratorywork
I
nternship
A
ssessment
All
contactwork
hours
Inde
pendentwork
hours
Tasks
1. Introductory lecture: Characteristics
of the Middle East region
Geographic, political, social, religious
and economic characteristics of the
Middle East region
2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 14 Reading scientific
literature
2. Why so many conflicts in the
Middle East?
Political, economic, cultural and
historical reasons for the interethnic
and interstate conflicts in the region of
the Middle East. Historical
development of the conflicts. The
future of the regional conflicts
2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 14 Reading scientific
literature
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3. Models of democratization and the
Middle East
Different models of democratization
of political life in the countries of the
Middle East. The role of the civil
society in the process of
democratization. Challenges of
adaptation of the western liberal
political democracy in the Middle East
2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 14 Reading scientific
literature
4. Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Religious, state and international
relations context of Israeli-Palestinian
conflict
2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 14 Reading scientific
literature
Watching video
documentary
material
5. Meditteranean Sea region
Political, economic, social and
religious characteristics of the
Mediterranean Sea region. Relations
of the Meditteranean Sea region with
the European Union and the Middle
East. Problems and perspectives of the
Mediterranean Sea region
2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 14 Reading scientific
literature
Watching video
documentary
material
6. The "Arab Spring": Reform or
stalemate?
The Arab Spring revolutions in the
Middle East and North Africa:
characteristics,task and reality. The
Middle East countries not experienced
the Arab Spring revolution (Saudi
Arabia).
2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 14 Reading scientific
literature
7. Turkey: Between Europe and Asia
The processes of modernization and
secularization in Turkey during the
first half of the 20th century.
Geo-politic importance of Turkey
during the time of the Cold War and
its NATOs membership. Political,
economic and cultural interests of
Turkey: creation of its own sphere of
interest in the South-East Europe
2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 14 Reading scientific
literature
7/30/2019 Sotirovic NEAR EASTERN STUDIES Course Description
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8. The Cyprus question and
Turkish-Greek relations
Political conflict between Turkey and
Greece upon the Cyprus case. The
OUN, NATO and EC positions
concerning the Cyprus case and their
proposals for solving the conflict.
Division of Cyprus as a model of
solving inter-ethnic conflicts for other
multi-ethnic states (ex. Bosnia and
Herzegovina according to the Dayton
Agreement)
2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 14 Reading scientific
literature
Watching video
documentary
material
9. Summing-up: The Middle East
regional problems and future
challenges
2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 16 Reading scientific
literature
Overall 18 0 16 0 0 0 0 34 12810.
Assesment strategy Weighting
percentage
Period or date
of assessment
Assessment criteria
Examination 40% Session period Written exam
Task performance 40% Semester period Realization of the seminar work tasks
Active participation in
seminars
20% Semester period Seminar participation and activity
11.
Required reading
Nonneman G., International Relations of the Middle East, Sage publ., 2013.
Richards A. Waterburz J., A Political Economz of the Middle East, London: Basic Books, 2013.
Hertog S., Luciani G., Valeri M., Business Politics in the Middle East, London: C. Hurst & Co., 2013.
Halliday F., The Middle East in International Relations. Power, Politics and Ideology, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2010.
Yildiz K., Muller M. The European Union and Turkish Acccession: Human Rights and the Kurds. London, Ann
Arbor (Mich.): Pluto Press, 2008.
Recommended reading
Gallagher T. The Balkans in the New Millennium. In the Shadow of War and Peace. London, New York:
Routledge, 2007.
Sorli E. M., Gleditsch P. N., Strand H., Why is there so much conflict in the Middle East, Journal of Conflict
Resolution, 2005, 49, pp. 141-165.
Mohapatraka K. A., Democratization in the Arab world: Relevance of the Turkish model, International Studies,
2008, 45, pp. 271-294.
Vitkus G. Europos Sjungos usienio politika: trumpas vadovas. Vilnius: Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 2008.
Hirst D., The Gun and The Olive Branch. The Roots of Violence in The Middle East, London: CPI Anthony Rowe,
2003.
Markovich G. S. Weaver B. E., Pavlovic V. (eds.). Challenges to New Democracies in the Balkans. Belgrade:
Cigoja Press, 2004.
European Union and its New Neighborhood: Addressing Challenges and Opportunities. Vilnius: Mykolas Romeris
University Press, 2006.
Journal of Asian and African Studies, http://jas.sagepub.com
Sotirovi B. V., Emigration, Refugees and Ethnic Cleansing: The Death of Yugoslavia, 1991?1999, Saarbrcken:
7/30/2019 Sotirovic NEAR EASTERN STUDIES Course Description
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LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, 2013.
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