BMET 23A16 - Understanding Foreign Policy Decision Making (US Policy in the Middle East)

Understanding Foreign Policiy Decision Making (US Policy in the Middle East) This course examines US policy in the Middle East from the perspective of decision- makers. It will emphasize the sources of US foreign policy, the formulation of state interests and priorities, military and political doctrines, the management of alliances and partnerships, policy responses to crises and conflicts, and other strategic questions. In doing so, it will consider the evolution of US policy in the Middle East, from the Cold War years to the present. During the Cold War, the containment of communism and Pan-Arab socialism defined US policy in the Middle East. The United States thus forged long-lasting partnerships with Turkey, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, and got heavily implicated in a number of conflicts, such as the civil wars in Lebanon and Yemen, and the insurgency against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. The collapse of the Soviet Union then appeared to herald the end of ideological competition. Communist and socialist states the world over underwent processes of democratization, and so did several pro-Western authoritarian regimes. But in the Middle East and in the broader Islamic world, a new set of ideologies based on different varieties of political Islam came to challenge US interests. Islamist forces emerged from the Cold War seemingly victorious in Afghanistan, defiant in revolutionary Iran, and at the forefront of the Arab-Israeli conflict, in both the occupied Palestinian Territories and in Lebanon. And just as the popularity of Islamist opposition movements surged across much of Asia and Africa, Al-Qaeda carried out the 9/11 attacks and successive US administrations took it upon themselves to forcefully export democracy and free markets to the greater Middle East. New cycles of conflict followed, including in Iraq, Libya, and Syria. In re-examining US policies, this course will offer a global vista on a deeply troubled region, and introduce methodological frameworks that will help students recognize recurrent patterns across large regions of Asia and Africa, where armed Islamist movements and US-led military interventions contributed to destabilize several fragile states. The implications of US policy decisions are far-reaching and will set the stage for in-class discussions and debates about political responsibilities and the policy options at hand. The methodological focus of the course will emphasize the development of students' analytical skills and provide them with the opportunity to gain policy experience through negotiation simulations and other practical exercises.

Federico MANFREDI FIRMIAN

Atelier

English

Autumn 2024-2025

Class discussions will engage required readings and current events. You are expected to come to class prepared and ready to answer questions on the required readings and topical news. Formal assignments will include quizzes and press digests, a multi-party negotiation exercise which will simulate a topical real world scenario (e.g., the Iran nuclear deal negotiations or the Israeli-Palestinian peace process), and a final research paper. Class participation and discussion: 10% Quizzes and press digests: 20% Multi-party negotiation: 30% Final research paper: 40%