DRAFT SYLLABUS
China and The Middle East
China and The Middle East
Thursday 13:00 – 16:30
Instructor:
Tugrul Keskin
Office: East Campus, College of Liberal Arts, 4th Floor
Cell: 86+15000-465734
Office
Hours: Tuesday 1:00 – 4:00 PM or by appointment
It doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it
catches mice.
Deng Xiaoping
Course Description and Objective:
This course will review and analyze the increased presence
of PRC in the Contemporary Middle East. After the Deng Xiaoping came to power,
he liberalized the Chinese state and economy. As a result of his economic
policies, the PRC opened its doors to foreign investment and international
companies. This trend created a “great transformation in Chinese society.” Over the next thirty years, the Chinese
middle class grew to a size of over three hundred fifty million people. David
Harvey calls this process “neoliberalism with Chinese characteristics.”
However, this economic transformation and the emergence of a large middle class
in China created additional energy needs for the state and society. This led to
a shift in Chinese foreign policy towards the Middle East. Therefore, over the
last few years China, as an emerging global power, has heavily invested in the
economies of Middle Eastern countries. However there are other competitors in
the Middle Eastern economic market; such as the United States and Europe. Although
the Middle East is considered an American backyard, China is currently trying
to enter the Middle Eastern market for its own energy and security needs.
However, unlike in Africa, China has moved slowly in order not to disturb
American National Interests. China is consequently sneaking into the Middle
Eastern oil market without too much attention to this trend. In this class, we
will review how the growing needs for oil and gas of the Chinese economy has
shaped Chinese foreign policy in the Middle East after 1978.
Objectives:
The course objectives are 1) to
acquaint students with both traditional and contemporary literature and
research on Chinese Foreign Policy toward Middle East and 2) to introduce
students to the historical and ideological basis of Classical and Contemporary
Chinese and Middle East relations
Required Books:
This course will use sections from the following books and
articles:
- Yitzhak Shichor. The Middle East in China's Foreign Policy, 1949-1977. Cambrdige University Pess, 1979.
- Olimat, Muhamad S. China and the Middle East. From Silk Road to Arab Spring. New York: Routledge, 2013.
·
Keskin
Tugrul and Christian Braun. When a
Sleeping Giant Wakes – A Neoclassical Realist Analysis of China’s Expanding
Ties in the Middle East. Sociology of Islam 4 (2016) 1-26.
Recommended
Readings:
- Jon B. Alterman and John W. Garver. The Vital Triangle: China, The United States and the Middle East. CSIS, 2008.
- Scott Harold and Alireza Nader. China and Iran E conomic, Political, and Military Relations. RAND, 2012.
- James Chen. The Emergence of China in the Middle East. Strategic Forum National Defense University, 2011: SF No. 271 1.
- Henry Kissinger. On China. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2011.
Recommended
Books:
- Kemp, Geoffrey. The East Moves West: India, China and Asia’s Growing Presence in the Middle East. Washington: Brookings, 2012.
- Olimat, Muhamad S. China and the Middle East. From Silk Road to Arab Spring. New York: Routledge, 2013.
- Simpfendorfer, Ben. The New Silk Road: How a Rising Arab World is Turning Away from the West and Rediscovering China. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.
- MacFarquhar R. The Politics of China: The Eras of Mao and Deng. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press; 1997.
Recommended Articles:
- Antonov, Ivan. "China's Growing Role In International Affairs." International Affairs: A Russian Journal Of World Politics, Diplomacy & International Relations 57.4 (2011): 27-31.
- Jin Liangxiang. Energy First China and the Middle East. Middle East Quarterly Spring 2005, pp. 3-10.
- Huiyun, Tang. "China's Soft Power Construction Policy." Journal Of US-China Public Administration 9.5 (2012): 563-569.
- Pantucci, Raffaello, and Alexandros Petersen. "China's Inadvertent Empire." National Interest 122 (2012): 30-39.
- Rozman, Gilbert. "Invocations Of Chinese Traditions In International Relations." Journal Of Chinese Political Science 17.2 (2012): 111-124.
- Xiao, Ren, and Gordon Cheung. "Sources And Transitions Of Chinese Foreign Policy: An Introduction." East Asia: An International Quarterly 28.3 (2011): 169-174.
- Demır, İdris. "Revival Of The Silk Road In Terms Of Energy Trade." University Of Gaziantep Journal Of Social Sciences 9.3 (2010): 513-532.
- Gee, John. "China's Challenges In The Middle East." Washington Report On Middle East Affairs 30.8 (2011): 30-31.
- Menon, Raja. "The East Moves West, India, China, And Asia's Growing Presence In The Middle East." Maritime Affairs: Journal Of The National Maritime Foundation Of India 7.1 (2011): 121-128.
- Peerenboom, Randall. "China And The Revolutions In The Middle East And North Africa." Middle Eastern Law & Governance 3.1/2 (2011): 192-203.
- Pham, J. Peter. "China's “Surge” In The Middle East And Its Implications For U.S. Interests." American Foreign Policy Interests 31.3 (2009): 177-193.
- Zambelis, Chris, and Brandon Gentry. "China Through Arab Eyes: American Influence In The Middle East." Parameters: U.S. Army War College 38.1 (2008): 60-72.
- Harris, Stuart. "Global And Regional Orders And The Changing Geopolitics Of Energy." Australian Journal Of International Affairs 64.2 (2010): 166-185.
- Hayoun, Massoud. "Strange Bedfellows." World Affairs 175.5 (2013): 89-96.
- Olimat, Muhamad. "The Political Economy Of The Sino-Middle Eastern Relations." Journal Of Chinese Political Science 15.3 (2010): 307-335.
- Gvosdev, Nikolas. "Don't Count China Out In Middle East." World Politics Review (2012): 1.
- Gardels, Nathan. "It's Time For China To Start Shaping The New Global System." NPQ: New Perspectives Quarterly 28.3 (2011): 2-5.
- Hulbert, Matthew. "Shifting Global Balance Heralds New Energy Imperatives." Middle East 438 (2012): 32-36.
Newspaper
Articles:
- Davis, Rowenna. "China Is Now Challenging The U.S. In The Middle East.." CCPA Monitor 16.3 (2009): 10-11.
- Ford, Peter. "Libya unrest tests China's interests in the Middle East." Christian Science Monitor 02 Mar. 2011: N.PAG.
- Spegele, Brian, and Matt Bradley. "Egypt's Morsi Firms Up Ties to China." Wall Street Journal - Eastern Edition 29 Aug. 2012:
- Topol, Sarah A., and Peter Ford. "Q&A: Why China has become the Middle East's favorite customer." Christian Science Monitor 13 July 2010: N.PAG.
- Ian Bremmer. China's fast-growing Middle East problem. The Economist. Tuesday, March 13, 2012
- Brian Spegele And Jeremy Page. China to Shake Up Foreign-Policy Leadership. The Wall Street Journal. March 10, 2013.
· Willy Lam. Meet China’s New Foreign-Policy Team Is Beijing using its latest
appointments to send a message to Washington? Foreign Policy. March 8,
2013. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/03/08/meet_china_s_new_foreign_policy_team
· Tania Branigan. China's foreign policy is playing catch-up with its new status. The Guardian, Thursday 22 March 2012. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/22/china-foreign-policy-catchup-status
Documentaries
and Movies:
·
China's Role in the Middle East: Pan Guang
·
China and the Middle East: Rising Power and a Region in
Turmoil
·
Western Approaches: Responses to China from the Middle East
and Central Asia.
- Roberts: USA vs China in the Middle East
·
China's role in the Middle East
·
Journeys Into Islamic China - Huda Documentary
· Muslim
in China - Part 1
·
Recommended
Websites and Embassies:
· Principles
of China's Foreign Policy
· http://english.hanban.org/
- http://tr.chineseembassy.org/eng/ Chinese Embassy in Turkey
- http://eg.china-embassy.org/ Chinese Embassy in Egypt
- http://ir.chineseembassy.org/ Chinese Embassy in Iran
- http://www.chinaembassy.org.sa/ Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia
- http://qa.china-embassy.org/eng/ Chinese Embassy in Qatar
- China and the Middle East: Rising Power and a Region in Turmoil
Course Philosophy:
The goal of this course is to enable
students to write a theoretically guided and empirically rooted research paper.
I expect you to become familiar with the social, political and economic
underpinnings of transformations in the Modern China.
The success of this course depends
on your continued and sustained reading and participation. The course will be
based on a four-dimensional method of learning, and this includes inquiry and
critical thinking; communication; the diversity of human experience; and ethics
and social responsibility. First, I would like you to critically analyze what
you learn in this class or have learned so far through the media and education,
because in today’s world, truth is a relative concept. Throughout human
history, critical thinking is the one of the most important factors that has
contributed to human development. In order to become active,
self-motivated, empowered learners and future leaders, you will need to have
the ability to think critically, and therefore your criticism, feedback and
suggestions are necessary. Second, I would like you to enhance your writing and
oral communication skills in this course. Therefore, it is important to clearly
elaborate your arguments in the class discussion as well as in the written assignments.
Third, we are each part of the human mosaic, and all have different experiences based on our social, political and economic differences. We can all learn from and respect each other and benefit from our diversity. Please try to learn from and understand those with different perspectives than you. Lastly, we need to learn that we are all part of this intellectual community and larger society, and all have social and ethical responsibilities to our family, community, classmates, and humanity. We live in a globalized world and therefore, we need to be aware of events in our community, and the world today. In order to enhance our knowledge, we must critically examine our social, political and economic environment in order to apply this knowledge to our experience.
Course Requirements
To
prevent confusion later, please read the following information:
Grades:
Your grade for
this course will be based on your performance on the following components,
shown below with their dates and respective weights.
Item Weight (%)
Quizzes
(4) 32.0
Short
Analytical Paper 20.0
Class
Participation/Attendance 10.0
Newspaper
Articles
8.0
Quizzes: You will have 4 quizzes. The
quizzes will have 16 questions from each week’s class readings and discussions.
Each Quiz is worth 8 points and each question is worth 0.5 point. You will find
the schedule of quizzes below. Please carefully review the quiz schedule. If
you have schedule conflict, drop the class. If you have any questions or
concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
Final Paper and
Analytical Paper:
Please understand that this requirement involves a two-step process. You will
select a global issue and write a critical analysis about this issue related
with China and the Middle East. It should be at least 4000 words and you must
provide a word count at the end of your paper. Everyone will select a different
topic. Your selection must be approved and registered by me; therefore, you must contact me
directly regarding your topic selection. The deadline for selecting/registering
your topic is Sunday, the 5th week of the class. The Final Paper is
due on Sunday, the last week of school. Late submissions will not be
accepted.
- Analytical Paper: In the first part of this assignment, you will select a topic related with China and the Middle East. You will write a proposal/abstract (at least 500 words) for your research, describing the contents of your paper and sources (books, articles and newspaper articles – this should include at least 10 different sources) and will send it to me by email on Sunday, the 5th week of the course. You need to email me your analytical paper and it should be in MS Word Document. In this step of your assignment, you need to demonstrate a clear focus (time and geography – very specific) and a CLEAR RESEARCH QUESTION! If you are late, you lose 10 points. DO NOT FORGET, YOUR PROPOSAL MUST BE APPROVED BY THE INSTRUCTOR BY SUNDAY MIDNIGHT; THEREFORE, DO NOT EXPECT FROM ME TO APPROVE YOUR PROPOSAL AT 11 PM SUNDAY NIGHT! You need to email your proposal or come and talk to me before Sunday!
- Final Paper: In the second part of your assignment, after I have accepted your proposal, you will start writing your paper based on the described contents, references and research question you provided in the analytical paper. You will submit your final paper by email on Friday, the last week of the semester. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate contact me directly! Your final paper should be at least 4000 words in length, excluding bibliography and references. If you are late, you lose 10 points.
Attendance: Regular attendance is one of the most important
parameters to successful completion of the course requirements. If you miss
more than 4 classes, you will not receive an attendance grade. Excuses will not be permitted for any reason.
Class Participation: Each student must read the course
materials before they attend class and I expect them to participate in class
discussion. Class participation in the form of informed questions and comments
will be taken into consideration when determining your final grade.
Additionally, the class participation grade also depends on class attendance.
Newspaper
Articles: During the semester, you can bring 8 newspaper
articles related with our class subjects. You cannot bring more than one
article in the same week. You will have to summarize these articles in
class and will find the recommended newspapers listed on http://internationalstudiesandsociology.blogspot.com/, under the external links section. Newspaper articles sent by email will not be
accepted. Please bring it to class, the first page of the printed/hard copy of
the article. You can only bring an article from the selected newspapers, posted
on http://internationalstudiesandsociology.blogspot and you
will find them under links section. Some of the recommended newspapers are The
Guardian, Al-Jazeera, Democracynow.org, Financial Times, The New York Times,
The Wall Street Journal, Pravda, Haaretz, China Daily, and the Economist.
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!
Coming late to class: Late
comers will not be accepted to class, so be on time. If you are late for a
class, please do not disturb your classmates and me and do not come at all. Please
also do not send an email or call me regarding your class attendance. If there
is a medical need, bring an official letter from a doctor. Whatever the reason
is, if you cannot come to class, this is your responsibility. If you miss more
than 4 classes, you will not receive an attendance grade.
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!
Laptop and cell phone policy: No laptops or cell phones will be
allowed in this class. Please turn your cell phone off before you come to
class. If you use the Internet/laptop or your cell phone during class, you will
be asked to leave.
PLEASE
READ THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES:
- Why a leading professor of new media just banned technology use in class
- Why you should take notes by hand — not on a laptop
- To Remember a Lecture Better, Take Notes by Hand
Responsibility: You and/or your parents pay tuition for this
class; therefore, you have responsibility to yourself and/or your parents.
Passing or failing the class is not the main objective, rather that you learn
and improve your knowledge. Please read and try to understand the main concepts
of this class. If you are having difficulty, please do not hesitate to see me
and discuss your concerns!
Each year, millions of people
graduate from Chinese, American or global universities (see http://collegecompletion.chronicle.com/).
As you will see from the statistics, the job market is very competitive;
therefore, students need to improve their knowledge, skill, and experience in order
to find a job they want. Learning is a lifelong process. An academic
institution like Shanghai University will provide you with an educational
discipline and methodology; everything else is up to you. You should study and
improve your skills, in order to compete with the rest of the graduates. While
you are in the program, you should apply for internships to obtain relevant
experiences before you graduate. Therefore, if you need a letter of
recommendation for an internship or job, please do not hesitate to ask me, if
you receive at least an A, A- or B+ grade from my class. Please also remember
that an undergraduate degree might not be enough to find the job you want;
therefore, you might need to apply to graduate school. In order to apply to
graduate school, you will also need to have a letter of recommendation. I am
also happy to advise you on graduate school or provide a letter of
recommendation if you receive an A, A- or B+ grade.
No Laptops and cell phones
will be allowed in this class.
Course Timeline
WEEK 1
|
·
Overview
of the syllabus
Yitzhak Shichor. The Middle East in China's Foreign Policy,
1949-1977
·
Introduction
1
· 1 China's encounter with the
Middle East 9
|
WEEK 2
|
Yitzhak Shichor. The Middle East in China's Foreign Policy,
1949-1977
·
2
Sino-Arab peaceful co-existence 37
·
3
The struggle against imperialism 70
|
WEEK 3
|
QUIZ – 1
Yitzhak Shichor.
The Middle East in China's Foreign Policy, 1949-1977
·
4
The struggle against imperialism and revisionism 106
·
5
The struggle against social imperialism 145
·
Conclusion
189
|
WEEK 4
|
CHINA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
·
Keskin Tugrul and Christian Braun. When a Sleeping Giant Wakes – A
Neoclassical Realist Analysis of China’s Expanding Ties in the Middle East.
Sociology of Islam 4 (2016) 1-26.
·
Lillian Craig Harris. China's Relations with the PLO. Journal of Palestine Studies,
Vol. 7, No. 1 (Autumn, 1977), pp. 123-154
·
Chaoling Feng. Embracing
Interdependence: The Dynamics of China and the Middle East. Brookings
Doha Center. Policy Briefing April 2015
·
Stig Stenslie. China
debates its future role in the Middle East. Noref expert Analysis – May
2014
|
WEEK 5
|
ISRAEL
·
Mohammed Turki al-Sudairi. Israel-Sino Relations through the Prism of Advocacy Groups.
Number 8: November 2013.
·
Yiyi Chen. China’s
Relationship with Israel, Opportunities and Challenges: Perspectives from
China. Israel Studies, volume 17 number 3.
·
Aron Shai. China and Israel Relations and Future
Prospects. ASPJ Africa & Francophonie - 2nd Quarter 2014.
Analytical
Paper: In
the first part of this assignment, you will select a topic related with China
and the Middle East. You will write a proposal/abstract (at least 500
words) for your research, describing the contents of your paper and
sources (books, articles and newspaper articles – this should include at
least 10 different sources) and will send it to me by email on Sunday, the 5th
week of the course. You need to email me your analytical paper and it should
be in MS Word Document. In this step of your assignment, you need to
demonstrate a clear focus (time and geography – very specific) and a CLEAR
RESEARCH QUESTION! If you are late, you lose 10 points. Due date is Sunday
|
WEEK 6
|
QUIZ – 2
TURKEY
·
Political
Conflict to Economic Cooperation: Sino-Turkish Relations in the Context of
New Era Michael McCall and Tugrul Keskin
·
Sino-Turkish
Strategic Economic Relationship in New Era by Zhiqiang Zou
·
“Turkey
Dream” and the China-Turkish Cooperation under “One Belt and One Road”
Initiative by ZAN Tao
|
WEEK 7
|
IRAN
· John W. Garver. China and Iran: An Emerging Partnership
Post- Sanctions. MEI Policy Focus 2016-3.
· Mohiaddin
Mesbahi and Mohammad Homayounvash.
China and the International Non-Proliferation Regime: The Case of Iran. Sociology
of Islam 4 (2016) 73-92
|
WEEK 8
|
QUIZ – 3
ARAB WORLD
·
YAO
Kuangyi1. China-Arab States Cooperation
Forum in the Last Decade. Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
(in Asia) Vol. 8, No. 4, 2014.
·
Guy
Burton. Explaining Beijing’s Shift from
Active to Passive Engagement in Relation to the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Sociology
of Islam 4 (2016) 93-112.
·
Emma
Scott. China Goes Global in Egypt: A
Special Economic Zone in Suez. Stellenbosch | August 2013 2/2013.
|
WEEK 9
|
GCC
·
Mohammed
Turki Al-Sudairi. Sino-Saudi Relations:
An Economic History. GRC GULF PAPERS August 2012.
·
Sean
Foley. Seek Knowledge Even If It Takes
You to China (Via Washington) Saudi Arabia and China in the Twenty-First
Century. Sociology of Islam 4 (2016) 166-188.
·
Geoffrey
F. Gresh. The Gulf Looks East Sino-Arab
Relations in an Age of Instability. Sociology of Islam 4 (2016) 149-165
|
WEEK 10
|
QUIZ – 4
NORTH AFRICA
·
Massoud
Hayoun. Strange Bedfellows: China's
Middle Eastern Inroads. World Affairs, Vol. 175, No. 5 (JANUARY /
FEBRUARY 2013), pp. 89-96.
·
Juan
R. I. Cole. Chinese Soft Power and
Green Energy Investment in the Greater Middle East. Sociology of Islam 4
(2016) 59-72
|
