Understanding Israel and Palestine: Seeking Peace
| Module title | Understanding Israel and Palestine: Seeking Peace |
|---|---|
| Module code | POC3093 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 10 |
|---|
Module description
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has now raged for over a hundred years, constituting one of the world’s longest standing conflicts. Since its inception, numerous peace attempts, involving assorted UN resolutions, bilateral negotiations, and third-party interventions, have sought to put an end to the conflict, and yet, today, a resolution remains more distant than ever. Why does the conflict remain unresolved? What stands in the way of achieving a peaceful solution? In this module, we will examine the Israel-Palestine Peace Process: the main peace attempts and proposals which have been put forward to resolve the conflict. We will discuss the reasons that contributed to the failure of the peace process, hence the continuation of the conflict. The module will also critically examine the role of third parties, such as the US, the EU, the UN and the Arab League, in the efforts to resolve the conflict. The analysis of these issues will be placed within the theoretical debates on peace, conflict resolution, peacemaking, violence, and security. In the second part of the module, we will look at the main stumbling blocks to reach peace between Israel and Palestinians. The module will introduce you to the literature that brings a variety of voices, viewpoints, and perspectives on the resolution of the conflict. In the last part of the module, we will draw on the lessons learnt from previous attempts at settlements, and apply them to think creatively about possible solutions to settle the conflict.
No prior knowledge, skills or experience are required to take this module, and it is suitable for specialist and non-specialist students. You may, however, find it beneficial to take ‘Understanding Israel and Palestine: One land, two people’ module
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module will:
1. Introduce you to the key actors, dynamics, and main issues, in the peace process negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, and key issues affecting the resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict
2. Familiarise you with a range of perspectives held by different scholars, politicians and peace activists on the Israel/Palestine Peace Process.
3. Continue to develop your analytical, research and writing capacities, and to develop oral presentation skills through class discussion and individual presentations.
4. Develop IT skills through individual research in preparation for the simulation exercise.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate a knowledge of the actors, dynamics and key issues in the peace process negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, and key stumbling blocks in the resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict;
- 2. Demonstrate an understanding of central issues in the Israel-Palestine conflict: territory, refugees, settlements, and Jerusalem
- 3. Develop and demonstrate a knowledge of key theoretical debates regarding the resolution of the conflict;
- 4. Identify and evaluate the role of different third parties in the Israel-Palestine Peace Process, and critically assess their contribution;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Understand the theoretical concepts drawn from the theories of peace, violence, security or conflict resolution, and understand the applicability of these concepts to Palestine-Israel Peace Process;
- 6. Find, use and critically analyse secondary data relevant to specific issue areas;
- 7. Construct well-structured and rigorous political arguments;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 8. To select, organise and process data to produce, to a deadline, a coherent and cogent argument, both orally and in writing;
- 9. Work independently and within a group, including participation in oral discussion and simulation exercise;
- 10. Work independently, within a limited time frame, and without access to external sources, to complete a specified task;
- 11. Develop IT skills through individual research in preparation for seminar discussions, simulation exercise, and examination;
Syllabus plan
Illustrative Seminar Topics:
- Introduction to the Module: The never-ending conflict?
- The Road to Oslo
- The Oslo Peace Process: What went wrong?
- The Stumbling Blocks: Territory, Settlements, and Water
- The Stumbling Blocks: Jerusalem and Refugees
- Bad Fences Make Bad Neighbours: the ‘Separation Wall’
- Palestinian Violence
- Israel and Palestine (un)divided: Internal Conflicts and Prospects for Peace
- External Actors
- 'The Penryn Peace Process'-the UN-sponsored conference: Simulation exercise
- Conclusion: Is the end in Sight?
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 11 | Lectures and discussion facilitated by the convenor |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 11 | Seminars guided by questions and readings assigned by the convenor |
| Guided independent study | 35 | Reading and preparing for seminars |
| Guided independent study | 11 | Research and preparation of student-led seminar |
| Guided independent study | 22 | Researching and preparation for simulation assessment |
| Guided independent study | 10 | Composition of report on simulation exercise |
| Guided independent study | 15 | Reading and Preparing for examination practice |
| Guided independent study | 35 | Reading and Preparing for Unseen examination |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Respondent to Student-Led Seminar | 5 minutes | 1-9,11 | Oral |
| Examination practice sessions | 300-500 words | 1-11 | Oral |
| Discussions during tutorials | Throughout module delivery | 1-9,11 | Oral |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 60 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simulation assessment and 1 x 1,000 word report | 40 | 15 min per student and 1 x 1,000 word report | 1-11 | Oral and Written |
| Examination | 60 | 1 hour | 1-11 | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000-word report on the simulation exercise | 1,000-word report | 1-11 | August/September assessment period |
| Examination | 1 hour | 1-11 | August/September assessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Adwan, S. et.al (ed.) (2001) Side by Side. Parallel Histories of Israel-Palestine. Peace Research Institute in the Middle East
Gelvin, J. L. (2007) The Israel-Palestine conflict: one hundred years of war. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Kamrava, M. (2013) The Modern Middle East. A Political History since the First World War. Berkley: University of California Press. Chapter 9
Milton-Edwards, B. (2009) The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A People’s War London: Routledge.
Salinas, M. et.al (ed) (2009) Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Perspectives on the Peace Process. Amherst and New York: Cambria Press
Shlaim, A. (2009) ‘The Rise and Fall of the Oslo Peace Process’ in Fawcett, Louise (ed) International Relations of the Middle East, Oxford: Oxford University Press (Chapter 12)
Smith, C. (2001) Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Basingstoke: Macmillan Press (Chapter 10: From Pariah to Partner)
Peters, J., and Newman, D. (2013)Routledge Handbook on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. London and New York:Routledge
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
Israel Foreign Ministry- www. mfa.gov.il
Negotiations Affairs Department, Palestine Liberation Organisation- www.nad-plo.org
Foundation for the Middle East Peace- www.fmep.org
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land (2004,Sut Jhally and Bathsheba Ratzkoff, 2004)
Relentless: The Struggle for Peace in the Middle East (2003, Wayne Kopping)
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/09/2016 |
| Last revision date | 01/09/2016 |
