This course provides a detailed understanding of the Syrian civil war (2011-2018) and its massive repercussions in the Middle East and Europe. It introduces the formation of the modern Syrian state, the end of the colonial period, the independence and the rise of the Baath regime in the country. It analyzes the nature of the Assad regime and the political situation prior to 2011. The course then explores the 2011 protests in the wake of the “Arab Spring” from different perspectives, relying both on secondary and primary sources. It then covers the unfolding of the different phases of the conflict, from peaceful protests to a protracted civil war that generated the biggest refugee crisis of the 21st century. It examines how al-Qaeda affiliates appeared and how ISIS repurposed the terms of the conflict to transform part of the country into a so-called “califate” that attracted thousands of European volunteers. The course also deals with the new “struggle for Syria” through the interferences of various regional and international powers like Iran, Russia, the Gulf countries and the USA. A special emphasis on the role of the EU, before, during and in the aftermath of the crisis is provided.
The course will aim at bringing students to reflect on the many ways in which the Syrian conflict anticipated on several contemporary issues in Europe (Ukraine, digital interference, jihadism etc.) and how it generated a new geopolitical landscape that carries massive implications for the future of the political equilibrium in the Middle East and Europe.
Learning Outcomes
1. Considerably enhancing your historical and political understanding of the situation in the Levant
2. Developing a transregional approach to a given geopolitical situation
3. Acquiring new and deep knowledge on a wide range of subjects (the geopolitics of the Middle East, the refugee crisis, the jihadi phenomenon, the difficulty of the EU to stand as a regional player, etc.)
Professional Skills
Students will foster both their oral and writing skills. They will develop their ability to process different sources on a given topic / to sum up different perspectives through individual and group presentations / to develop a better cultural understanding. They will also learn how to respond to a theoretical stance. The weekly response paper will also help the students building knowledge and learning how to shape and express their opinions on several complex yet burning contemporary issues. Students will also develop their ability to respectfully debate in an open discussion with the rest of the class, to do business in the proper currency of intellectual discourse—a currency consisting of reasons, evidence, and arguments—but no ideas or positions are out of bounds.
- Reading and Preparation for Class: 6-8 hours a week / 72-96 hours a semester
- Research and Preparation for Group Work: 12 hours a semester
- Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 12 hours a semester
- Class participation on a weekly basis (10%)
- Weekly response papers to the weekly readings (350 to 700 words max) (35%)
- Oral presentation - at least one in the semester (15%)
- Final Exam – Students will have to choose and answer two questions in a list of ten, based on the themes addressed during the semester (40%)
2) A general mid-semester feedback
3) If needed, by appointment or via email, during my office hours