Course Contents
Development Cooperation (DC) is an important element of international relations. It contributes to reach the sustainable development goals, but it does not exist in a political vacuum. DC cooperation is characterized by a multitude of bilateral and multilateral, state and non-state actors as well as a multitude of instruments, which makes its implementation often cumbersome. This becomes particularly clear in the context of fragile countries and highly politicized environments, such as in Lebanon.
Lebanon is a small country with a fragile state and several non-state actors, among which Hezbollah is the most powerful. It is a country that is both modern and archaic with a sectarian political system that strikes a careful balance between the countries various sects. Due to its strategic location next to Syrian and Lebanon, powerful external actors intervene and have intervened in Lebanon and have supported local proxies. Moreover, the country has hosted about two million Palestinian and Syrian refugees, and it has experienced of the worst economic crises in recent histories following the collapse of its banking system. It is a country with rampant levels of corruption, enormous inequalities in wealth and close connections between economic and political elites.
After two introductions one on the Lebanese political system in its historical, regional, and international context on April 14th, and one on the international development architecture on May 8th- the seminar will explore the interplay between local politics, geopolitics, and development cooperation from various perspectives. At least one practitioner from a development cooperation institution working on Lebanon will be invited to present her/his experience.
Active participation of the students will be required throughout the course. Students will have to select a topic for a presentation. The topic can be chosen freely, or it can be one of the following:
1. Sectarianism and the Constitutional System of Lebanon
2. Elite Players and Politics in Lebanon
3. The 2019-20 Banking and Economic Crisis: Causes and Impacts
4. The Role of Women in Lebanese Society and Feminist Development/Foreign Policy
5. The Judicial System of Lebanon in Investigating the Banking Crisis and the Beirut Explosion: Checks and Balances or Patronage?
6. Hezbollah and its Political Allies: A Controversial Key Player
7. Saudi-Arabia: Still a Key Player in Lebanon?
8. The Future Movement: Does it Have a Future after the Hariris?
9. Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon: Their Marginalization in Society and Programs to Assist Them
10. Syrian Refugees in Lebanon: Their Marginalization in Society and Programs to Assist Them
11. The Failure of Public Services and its Link to Lebanese Politics: The Energy Sector
12. The Failure of Public Services and its Link to Lebanese Politics: Water Supply and Sanitation and/or Solid Waste Management
13. The Failure of Public Services and its Link to Lebanese Politics: The Education and/or the Health Sector
14. Germanys Role in Lebanon and its Development Cooperation with Lebanon
15. Frances Role in Lebanon and its Development Cooperation with Lebanon
16. The Role of the United States in Lebanon and U.S. Development Cooperation
17. The Role of the IMF in Lebanon
18. The Role of the World Bank in Lebanon
19. The Role of the U.N. system and its development agencies in Lebanon
20. The Role of the EU in Lebanon
Topics must be selected until April 24th. If there are less than 20 participants, topics may be merged in agreement between students and the lecturer if it seems useful to facilitate a comprehensive picture to emerge. A 1-page exposé for the presentation should include the title, questions, and sources that the student plans to use. Exposés should be sent to the class by the 1st of May and will be orally presented (5-10 minutes each, depending on the number of participants) and discussed on May 8th. Sources can include scientific articles, books, websites, videos etc. The early preparation of the exposés is intended to allow feedback from the lecturer and from fellow students on the research approach. The full presentations can be in the form of texts or power points to be presented in 10-20 minutes each, depending on the number of participants. Each presentation should include at least 3 key points and 2 open questions. Presentations should be circulated on May29th and will be held on June 5th and June 19th.
The seminar will be held in English. Term papers or oral exams are expected to be based on the presentations. They can be in German or English. Oral examinations will probably be held in the week beginning on July 3rd. Term papers will have to be submitted by July 15th.
Literature
Assouad, Lydia. A Country of Extreme Income and Wealth Inequality. Lebanons Political Economy: From Predatory to Self-Devouring, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2021, pp. 49. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep28829.5. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
Assouad, Lydia. The Culprits: Lebanon's Political and Business Elites. Lebanons Political Economy: From Predatory to Self-Devouring, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2021, pp. 1013. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep28829.6. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
Bahout, Joseph. THE UNRAVELING OF LEBANONS TAIF AGREEMENT: Limits of Sect-Based Power Sharing. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2016. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep13072. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
Bauer, Michael. Parlamentswahlen Im Libanon: Lehren Und Entwicklungsszenarien: Die Wahlergebnisse spiegeln den Wunsch der Menschen im Libanon nach Reformen wider. Werden sie diese auch bekommen? Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, 2022. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep41465. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
International Crisis Group. Limiting the Damage of Lebanons Looming Presidential Vacuum. International Crisis Group, 2022. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep44896. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
Malley, Muadth. The Lebanese Civil War and the Taif Accord: Conflict and Compromise Engendered by Institutionalized Sectarianism. The History Teacher, vol. 52, no. 1, 2018, pp. 12159. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26646477. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
Orion, Assaf. Hezbollah and Lebanon, in Aounian Terms: One and the Same? Institute for National Security Studies, 2017. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep08393. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
Preconditions
[list]
[*]A strong interest in international politics and sustainable development
[*]Ability to read, write and present in English
[*]Willingness to constructively engage with other students
[*]Openness to different points of view
[*]Curiosity to learn about new topics
[/list]
Online Offerings
moodle
Development Cooperation (DC) is an important element of international relations. It contributes to reach the sustainable development goals, but it does not exist in a political vacuum. DC cooperation is characterized by a multitude of bilateral and multilateral, state and non-state actors as well as a multitude of instruments, which makes its implementation often cumbersome. This becomes particularly clear in the context of fragile countries and highly politicized environments, such as in Lebanon.
Lebanon is a small country with a fragile state and several non-state actors, among which Hezbollah is the most powerful. It is a country that is both modern and archaic with a sectarian political system that strikes a careful balance between the countries various sects. Due to its strategic location next to Syrian and Lebanon, powerful external actors intervene and have intervened in Lebanon and have supported local proxies. Moreover, the country has hosted about two million Palestinian and Syrian refugees, and it has experienced of the worst economic crises in recent histories following the collapse of its banking system. It is a country with rampant levels of corruption, enormous inequalities in wealth and close connections between economic and political elites.
After two introductions one on the Lebanese political system in its historical, regional, and international context on April 14th, and one on the international development architecture on May 8th- the seminar will explore the interplay between local politics, geopolitics, and development cooperation from various perspectives. At least one practitioner from a development cooperation institution working on Lebanon will be invited to present her/his experience.
Active participation of the students will be required throughout the course. Students will have to select a topic for a presentation. The topic can be chosen freely, or it can be one of the following:
1. Sectarianism and the Constitutional System of Lebanon
2. Elite Players and Politics in Lebanon
3. The 2019-20 Banking and Economic Crisis: Causes and Impacts
4. The Role of Women in Lebanese Society and Feminist Development/Foreign Policy
5. The Judicial System of Lebanon in Investigating the Banking Crisis and the Beirut Explosion: Checks and Balances or Patronage?
6. Hezbollah and its Political Allies: A Controversial Key Player
7. Saudi-Arabia: Still a Key Player in Lebanon?
8. The Future Movement: Does it Have a Future after the Hariris?
9. Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon: Their Marginalization in Society and Programs to Assist Them
10. Syrian Refugees in Lebanon: Their Marginalization in Society and Programs to Assist Them
11. The Failure of Public Services and its Link to Lebanese Politics: The Energy Sector
12. The Failure of Public Services and its Link to Lebanese Politics: Water Supply and Sanitation and/or Solid Waste Management
13. The Failure of Public Services and its Link to Lebanese Politics: The Education and/or the Health Sector
14. Germanys Role in Lebanon and its Development Cooperation with Lebanon
15. Frances Role in Lebanon and its Development Cooperation with Lebanon
16. The Role of the United States in Lebanon and U.S. Development Cooperation
17. The Role of the IMF in Lebanon
18. The Role of the World Bank in Lebanon
19. The Role of the U.N. system and its development agencies in Lebanon
20. The Role of the EU in Lebanon
Topics must be selected until April 24th. If there are less than 20 participants, topics may be merged in agreement between students and the lecturer if it seems useful to facilitate a comprehensive picture to emerge. A 1-page exposé for the presentation should include the title, questions, and sources that the student plans to use. Exposés should be sent to the class by the 1st of May and will be orally presented (5-10 minutes each, depending on the number of participants) and discussed on May 8th. Sources can include scientific articles, books, websites, videos etc. The early preparation of the exposés is intended to allow feedback from the lecturer and from fellow students on the research approach. The full presentations can be in the form of texts or power points to be presented in 10-20 minutes each, depending on the number of participants. Each presentation should include at least 3 key points and 2 open questions. Presentations should be circulated on May29th and will be held on June 5th and June 19th.
The seminar will be held in English. Term papers or oral exams are expected to be based on the presentations. They can be in German or English. Oral examinations will probably be held in the week beginning on July 3rd. Term papers will have to be submitted by July 15th.
Literature
Assouad, Lydia. A Country of Extreme Income and Wealth Inequality. Lebanons Political Economy: From Predatory to Self-Devouring, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2021, pp. 49. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep28829.5. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
Assouad, Lydia. The Culprits: Lebanon's Political and Business Elites. Lebanons Political Economy: From Predatory to Self-Devouring, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2021, pp. 1013. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep28829.6. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
Bahout, Joseph. THE UNRAVELING OF LEBANONS TAIF AGREEMENT: Limits of Sect-Based Power Sharing. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2016. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep13072. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
Bauer, Michael. Parlamentswahlen Im Libanon: Lehren Und Entwicklungsszenarien: Die Wahlergebnisse spiegeln den Wunsch der Menschen im Libanon nach Reformen wider. Werden sie diese auch bekommen? Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, 2022. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep41465. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
International Crisis Group. Limiting the Damage of Lebanons Looming Presidential Vacuum. International Crisis Group, 2022. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep44896. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
Malley, Muadth. The Lebanese Civil War and the Taif Accord: Conflict and Compromise Engendered by Institutionalized Sectarianism. The History Teacher, vol. 52, no. 1, 2018, pp. 12159. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26646477. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
Orion, Assaf. Hezbollah and Lebanon, in Aounian Terms: One and the Same? Institute for National Security Studies, 2017. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep08393. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.
Preconditions
[list]
[*]A strong interest in international politics and sustainable development
[*]Ability to read, write and present in English
[*]Willingness to constructively engage with other students
[*]Openness to different points of view
[*]Curiosity to learn about new topics
[/list]
Online Offerings
moodle
- Lehrende: SchifflerManuel
Semester: ST 2023