Politics of Middle East Authoritarianism in Comparative Perspective (Half-Term)

This course surveys the major topics in the Politics of the Middle East with an emphasis on the origins and persistence of its authoritarian political regimes. Its purpose is to introduce the main theoretical and conceptual building blocks of the sub-field of Middle East Politics, while focusing on the core theories of authoritarian politics. We focus on the intellectual evolution of the field, the dominant theoretical debates and controversies, and the variety of approaches to research within the field. Special attention is given to both case-studies, histories, informal norms, and overall contexts which shape politics in MENA.