210051 PS BAK7: International Relations and the Middle East Conflict (2024W)

Complimentary to the lecture “Internationale Politik” (German), this course focuses on the Middle East Conflict between Israel, Palestine, and their Arab neighbor states from the different perspectives of Palestinian, Israeli and international scholars. We will deepen aspects discussed in the lecture and focus on the recent escalation in the Middle East as well as the conflict’s broader historical and political contexts and narratives. Also, we will discuss different approaches towards mediation and conflict transformation.

In the first part of the course emphasis will be put on the history of the conflict, the roots of different forms of nationalism as the history of European colonialism in the region. Concepts such as statebuilding will be discussed centrally. Furthermore, a focus will be put on important episodes and dimensions of the Middle East Conflict, such as Zionism, Palestinian nationalism, European colonialism, Anti-Semitism, the Holocaust, the Arab-Israeli-Wars, the first and second intifada as well as different peace and mediation initiatives. The second part of the course will focus on the role of the international community in the Middle East Conflict. Special focus will be put on the roles and foreign policies of Germany and Austria. In this regard concepts such as active neutrality policy, historic responsibility and reason of state will be discussed.