ATS2858 Politics of the Middle East and North Africa
Faculty of Arts
ATS2858 Politics of the Middle East and North Africa is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before ATS2858
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After ATS2858
No unit lists ATS2858 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Pre-requisite: 12 credit points of Level 1 Arts units
Overview
In this unit, you will examine the interplay of external and internal factors in shaping the modern political environment of the Middle East and North Africa. Starting with an overview of the establishment of the state system during and after the colonial period, you will examine the emergence of the modern state system including patterns of authoritarian and semi-authoritarian governance in the region. You will also explore the interplay between political economy, ideology and identity politics and the impacts of foreign intervention alongside specific issues such as the Arab-Israeli conflict, uprisings and conflict in the region since 2010, nuclear proliferation and security issues, the Islamic Revolution in Iran, and others.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- QuizQuiz / Test30%
- Thematic analysisWritten30%
- MultimediaArtefact40%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
illustrate and analyse the impacts of historical, political, economic and social pressures on the current political dynamics of the Middle East and North Africa;
- 2
identify, analyse and evaluate the dynamics of relations between the internal politics of the Middle East and external factors;
- 3
engage constructively in debates on controversial and sensitive topics in both oral and written formats relating to the politics of the Middle East and North Africa;
- 4
comprehend and engage constructively with current affairs, scholarly articles and books in the field of Middle Eastern and North African Studies, and place them in an appropriate theoretical and empirical context;
- 5
apply theoretical perspectives and concepts to illuminate and examine a new or existing problem in the study of Middle Eastern and North African politics.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures12 hours
- Workshops24 hours
- Teaching approachCase-based teaching
- Teaching approachEnquiry-based learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
This unit includes case-based teaching, where you apply your knowledge and engage in analytical and reflective thinking to solve complex contextual scenarios. Activities are often designed so that there is not one clear answer, but students need to work together to examine, analyse and make decisions to resolve the situation.
This unit engages you in enquiry-based learning, where you will be encouraged to use your own knowledge to develop and engage in a process of enquiry, study and research to identify areas to be investigated and an approach to doing so.
Where it fits
ATS2858 is part of 4 areas of study in the 2026 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Benjamin MacQueen
- Unit Coordinators
- Associate Professor Benjamin MacQueen
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ATS2858?
ATS2858 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is ATS2858 offered?
In 2026, ATS2858 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
How much work is ATS2858?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does ATS2858 have an exam?
No. ATS2858 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include ATS2858?
ATS2858 is part of International relations and Politics.