Specialized Project: How Did We Get Here?
General Instructions:
This project will demonstrate your ability to synthesize discipline-specificmaterial. The project involves conducting independent research. 12-15 pages(Times, double spaced).
Specific Instructions:
Pick a current political or security crisis in one country in the MENA. Using your resources andresearch in the online library, construct an essay that analyzes that crisis.The essay should open with an introductory paragraph that presents acontestable thesis statement. The statement should be contestable because thepurpose of the essay is to prove that the thesis is correct with elegantresearch. Your objective is to explain “how we got here.” You want toexplain and analyze the events, relationships, and dynamics that shaped a theevent or crisis you’ve picked.
An acceptable example: “Qatar’s recent diplomatic crisis withthe Gulf Community Council did not unravel out of nowhere, but is predicated ona history of antagonism and controversial relationships with state andnon-state actors dating back two decades.”
Why it is okay: This statement advances a claim that the student will set outto prove with evidence in a well-cited paper. Note that someone might not agreewith the claim until they see the supporting research — that is what makes thestatement contestable. The student can use accessible evidence and informationin peer-reviewed sources to support the paper, meaning this topic does notrequire access to anything classified or unobtainable information likeon-the-ground interviews. The claim specifies a time frame and does not attemptto declare an ongoing situation finished. The statement does not attempt topredict the future, but is oriented towards analyzing the trajectory of eventsleading up to the crisis — it focuses on “how we got here.”
A bad example: “Elections have created undemocratic resultsin Egypt because of Islam.”
Another: “Islamists will never be tamed into politicalsystems.”
Why these don’t work: These claims are not helpful because they’re vague. Inthe case of the first one, it’s also generalizing a complicated matter andpositing that there’s a single cause to a phenomenon (it’s never possible toreduce a crisis or political struggle to a simple cause). If the intent is toexamine the role of religion in Egypt’s political processes, it’s not clearfrom the statement what role Islam plays or how specifically it affectselections. It’s also not clear which elections the student intends to write about– perhaps the paper is about the Arab Spring? Perhaps the Mubarak era? Mostimportantly, there is no easy way to prove this claim to be correct orincorrect — it might involve too much speculation or personal impression. Whatkind of evidence could support it? In the case of the second example, thequestion is posed as forward-looking when the objective is to look back foranalysis. Moreover, the topic makes an absolute prediction using”never.” Finally, the term “Islamists” covers a broad rangeof groups from violent extremists to political parties who are alreadyparticipating in the political process. Therefore the claim is impossible tosubstantiate with research.
Onceyou have a topic in mind, please feel free to submit it in our forum”Ideas for the Specialized Topic” so we can engage with your ideas.Having the right framework as you set out can really help the research process!
Questions to help you get started:
Whatare the historical circumstances that led to the crisis?
Who are the key actors contributing to or working to resolve the crisis?
Next offer analysis and synthesis of this information:
Whatdo key scholars and/or analysts say about the crisis? Compare points of view.
What possible solutions could mitigate the circumstances or help resolve thepolitical crisis? Remember to supply at least three possible solutions oroutcomes to avoid “putting all the eggs in one basket” or trying topredict the future.
The paper should engage the leadingworks on your topic and have a new bibliography of sources.
The paper should incorporate citations and evidence.Avoid writing about personal impressions and construct a scholarly,research-based argument anchored in evidence and citations of authoritativeacademic sources.
Finding Peer-Reviewed Sources
One of the easiest ways to find peer-reviewed academicsources is using Summon, the University’s library database search engine: . Once you enter your search terms, look to the left sideof the screen. You’ll see an option to click “Peer Review” and thiswill filter the results for you. You can try other filters to manage theresults, like “Journal articles,” or you can limit the date ofpublication to aim for recent studies. You might even filter the results bydiscipline (you can select “International Relations” as one option,for example). New sources (CNN, MSNBC, Fox) are not appropriate or necessaryfor completing this assignment.
Becausesome crises are still ongoing, you may need to cite something from news to havecurrent information. If this is the case, choose your sources from a reputablesite and try to cross-check the information. Using research institutes can alsobe helpful for avoiding polemical news sites.
Here are some peer-reviewed journals toExplore:
(Full list here: https://guides.nyu.edu/mideast/journals).
Arabica: https://brill.com/view/journals/arab/arab-overview.xml.
Digest of Middle East Studies: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19493606.
British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cbjm20/current.
Middle East Studies: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/fmes20/current.
International Journal of Middle EastStudies: https://ijmes.uark.edu/#:~:text=IJMES%20is%20a%20peer%2Dreviewed,region%20from%20all%20over%20the.
The Middle East Journal: https://www.mei.edu/education/middle-east-journal.
Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cicm20/current
Iranian Studies: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cist20/current.
Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cjmm20/current.
Israel Affairs: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/fisa20/current.
Journal of Israeli History: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/fjih20/current.
Middle East Critique: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ccri20/current
The Journal of North Africa Studies: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/fnas20/current.
Turkish Studies: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ftur20/current.
Contemporary Arab Affairs: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rcaa20/current.
Journal of Islamic Law and Culture: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rilc20/current.
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