History 394EI - Humn Rights & Enrgy in Eurasia

Our topic is the politics and impact of energy (especially oil and gas) on democratization and human rights in the Caspian basin in historical and current strategic context. This course will address pluralistic perspectives and awareness of cultural difference and one's self as learner; effective oral and written communication; effective collaborative work; creative and analytical thinking and problem solving; application of methods of analysis to real world problems, and evaluating the consequences and implications of choices and actions. Assignments will be written and oral including evaluation of readings and two role-playing exercises.

Open to Seniors and Juniors in History, Middle East and Judaic majors only. Our topic is the politics and impact of energy (especially oil and gas) on democratization and human rights in the Caspian basin in historical and current strategic context. We begin with an examination of the hydrocarbon industry generally and in this region, then move to examine human rights and democratization in the five Caspian littoral states: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Russia and Iran and a few neighboring ones such as Uzbekistan. We will consider globalization and strategic thinking, expressions of radical religious thought and politics, US/European energy and human rights policies. As an IE, this course will address several GenEd IE objectives: pluralistic perspectives and awareness of cultural difference and one?s self as learner; effective oral and written communication; effective collaborative work; creative and analytical thinking and problem solving; application of methods of analysis to real world problems, and evaluating the consequences and implications of choices and actions. How will the course achieve these goals? Readings for the class come from both the countries we will study and from reports by outsiders such as NGOs, international economic and political organizations, scholars of the region or topics such as finance or energy. In discussion and writing, we will critically review these materials and explore pluralistic perspective both among sources and compared to our own assumptions and previous impressions or experiences. Graded assignments will be both written and oral; role-playing exercises will require team collaboration as well as oral and written products. Our topic is analysis of policies that strive to explore and analyze, and possibly reconcile energy needs and policies to upholding human rights in producer states.