LN7011 - Arab World Studies (2022/23)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2022/23 | ||||||||||||
| Module title | Arab World Studies | ||||||||||||
| Module level | Masters (07) | ||||||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 20 | ||||||||||||
| School | Guildhall School of Business and Law | ||||||||||||
| Total study hours | 200 | ||||||||||||
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| Assessment components |
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| Running in 2022/23(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
The module will introduce students to Arab societies, in particular how recent political, economic and media developments are shaping Arab societies and social groups today. The module will trace general Arab traditions and see how these have evolved over time focusing on the family, education, religion, urbanisation, the media, etc. This module also introduces students to higher education in the Arab world.
The module will be taught in Arabic
Module aims:
- This module aims to introduce the student to the Arab world studies by:
- providing students with the opportunity to examine the major approaches and controversies in the study of modern Arab societies.
- engaging students in critical reflection on modern Arab issues;
- providing students with the opportunity to engage with, categories and evaluate a range of major works on modern Arab, drawn principally form the social sciences and history but also including literature on Orientalism and its critics.
- introducing students to the principal traditions and social forces at play in Arab societies today.
- Familiarising students with the purposes and demands of higher education in the Arab world.
Prior learning requirements
N/A.
Syllabus
The module will be taught by using newspapers, broadcasting (radio and television) and the internet. We will also analyse regional reporting that relates to Arab countries. The students will also look at issues such as political and theological debates in Arab societies, current issues in modern Arab societies, the role of higher education in modern Arab societies and the way they affect and are affected by changes in the Arab world, the traditional and modern roles of Arab women and the process of globalisation and the Middle East.
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
Students enrolled in this module will be encouraged to engage with recommended readings in preparation for each lecture. As the module adopts a blended-learning approach, students will have access to a dedicated module site (Weblearn) where they will find learning activities, class materials, lecture recordings, and online forums where they can interact with peers and tutors in synchronous and asynchronous ways.
Our students will have access to the university library website and make use of electronic journals, e-books, databases and full text journals. Support for developing and improving IT skills as well as information on other web based study support, is available on the library website. Students will have a nominated tutor who will support and guide them through the module and who they can consult in person, by email, or designated video-conference software.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be:
- Able to advance knowledge and critical understanding of the key issues in contemporary Arab societies and of the academic material that relates to them
- Able to advance understanding of the social and political significance of theological debates and normative changes in Arab societies
- Critically aware of the history of Arab societies
- Able to evaluate critically the dimensions of modern Muslim societies critically aware of higher education in the Arab world.
Assessment strategy
There are two assessed components in this module, a 15-minute individual presentation and a 2000-2500-word coursework/essay. The presentation component encourages students to choose one area/issue of the Arab world to deepen their knowledge in this area/issue by reading on the topic, and to evaluating and analysing critically what they present.
The second component constitutes a topic agreed by the student and the lecturer during the course. This assignment aims to provide the students with an opportunity to explore and evaluate critically an area/issue of the Arab world.