Module SGIA2241: THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE QUESTION

Department: Government and International Affairs

SGIA2241: THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE QUESTION

Prerequisites

• Satisfactory completion of at least one core level 1 module in Politics or POLI1061 Introduction to Middle East Politics.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To introduce students to the contemporary politics of Israel-Palestine, placing them in appropriate historical perspective

Content

• Through examination of the major debates and discourses of historiographical, political and sociological study of the area, the module will introduce students to the Palestine/Israel question. Taking a largely chronological ordering, it will examine the origins of the conflict in the Ottoman era, the impact of the British mandate, the development of political Zionism and Jewish colonisation, World War II and the United Nations Partition Plan, the war of 1948, early state development in Israel, the wars of 1956, 1967 and 1973, Camp David I, the PLO and Palestinian terrorism, the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and the first Intifada, the Madrid and Oslo peace processes, the collapse of Oslo, the 2000 Intifada and the rise of Sharon and the Israeli right, the Palestinian citizens of Israel, the struggle for a democratic Palestinian Authority and the rise to power of Hamas, and the uncertain future for the Jewish state. The module brings students right up to date with events but enables students to contextualise and analyse them in theoretical and historical perspective.

Learning Outcomes

• Through the module students should acquire:
• An understanding of the historical development of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, within a regional and international context;
• An understanding of the major debates and discourses that have emerged regarding the historiography, the sociology, the politics and the international relations of the conflict;
• An understanding of the essential political ideas and ideologies that have motivated and guided the principal actors in the conflict, and to enable the student to analyse these with reference to empirical material; and
• An understanding of the socio-economic and political dynamics that have driven the conflict to take shape as and when it has.

• Through the module, students should be able to:
• Accurately and effectively engage with contemporary analyses of the conflict and to take account of varying interpretations of events, actions, dynamics and motivations;
• Accurately and effectively engage with the different perspectives surrounding the events, actions, dynamics and motivations relevant to Palestine and Israel;
• Account for the historical development of the conflict in relation to relevant regional and international developments.

• Appropriate assessment and use of sources students have been directed to and those they have discovered for themselves.
• Ability to identify and retrieve other relevant sources independently and to identify subjective bias or location within a particular discourse.
• Planning and completion of a variety of assessment activities to length and on time.
• Effective written communication and analysis of information.
• Time Management.
• Flexibility in using knowledge and responding to changing requirements.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Each week, there will be a one-hour lecture which will provide the student with a summary of historical and contemporary events, as well as relevant discourses and theoretical frameworks. Lectures will guide the student through interpretation of events, positions and actions. In some instances, videos and DVDs will be used to provide visual materials in support of lectures. Lectures will be supported by reading lists and other resources, such as hand-outs, power-point presentations, documents etc. that will enable students to consolidate the factual knowledge delivered in lectures and assist students in developing their analysis of events.
• Seminars will provide a basis for further enhancing the analytical aspects of the module, entailing small group and class discussions, small-group activities, videos, debates and other and other activities. Seminars will enable students to critically analyse arguements, texts, and events, including through the presentation of work to others.
• Assessment by essay will test students' knowledge of a particular topic and their ability to research, plan and sustain an analytical argument about an important aspect of the Israel-Palestine question using a suitable academic framework and in accordance with scholarly expectations.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One 2000-word essay.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University