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This module covers the major Islamist movements in the contemporary Middle East and North Africa. In this module, you will explore the action rationale of these movements, get to understand their ideologies, and compare their similarities and differences in a cross-regional setting. You will learn to critically analyse the various debates surrounding the causes and the political consequences of the rise of Islamist movements in the Muslim-majority states before and after the Arab Spring and their subsequent setbacks. This module will help you assess the role of Islamist movements in major political transitions and changes in the Middle East, such as revolutions, civil wars, armed insurgencies, democratic transitions and civil resistance to authoritarianism.
The module aims to provide you with a general introductory survey of the politics and political economy of the Middle East, covering topics such as the Arab-Israeli conflict, the political dynamics of key states, the politics of Islam, the political economy of oil, and major wars. It will provide you with an understanding of the key themes and issues pertinent to the academic study of the Middle-East region, and will seek to expand your ability to engage critically and analytically with issues facing the Middle-East region in the 21 st century by situating them in historical and theoretical context, forming the basis for your studies in subsequent years.