Module manager: Prof Hendrik Kraetzschmar
Email: h.j.kraetzschmar@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
This module is approved as a discovery module
This module explores a range of domestic and regional-level issues facing the contemporary politics and societies in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. Comparative in perspective, the module homes in on questions of authoritarian governance and political reform, the nature and dynamics of opposition politics and state-society relations, the role of identity and identity politics, as well as on regional crises and conflicts. Students will have the opportunity to engage with cutting-edge scholarship on current developments in the region and explore a political issue of your own choosing in greater depth. The module does not require prior knowledge of the Middle East and North Africa region or Political Science.
Students will have the opportunity to develop your understanding of some of the key domestic and regional issues and conflicts facing the contemporary Middle East and North Africa region. Students will explore the origins and evolution of these challenges and critically assess potential pathways for resolution. To support these objectives, the module offers:
· Lectures that introduce core themes and current scholarship on these issues
· Seminars that encourage student-led discussion and reflection on both academic perspectives and your own views
· Active learning activities designed to deepen engagement with complex political issues
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Compare and evaluate key scholarship on Middle East and North African politics
2. Appraise the complexities of politics and governance in countries of the Middle East and North Africa, locating them in their historical and cultural context
3. Assess key trends, actors, conflicts and policies shaping contemporary political developments in the Middle East and North Arica
4. Conduct independent research applying concepts and theories to analyse empirical data
5. Evaluate competing arguments, perspectives, and sources to develop coherent, evidence-based argument, complying with the principles of academic integrity
6. Communicate ideas effectively, and engage constructively to questions and feedback
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 11 | 2 | 22 |
| Seminar | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| Private study hours | 167 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 33 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Students will have multiple opportunities to receive formative feedback both before submitting your assignments and throughout your engagement with the module. The lecturer will actively encourage discussion of work-in-progress for each of the two module assignments. After coursework submission, detailed written feedback will be provided to support continued learning and development.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Literature Review | 40 |
| Coursework | Group Project | 60 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
For the Group Project resits may make use of a report and recording depending on the circumstances of the resit.
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
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