Fall 2026
Ethics and Policy: Leadership, Resistance, and Social Movements
Dates: September 14, 2026 – December 16, 2026Day/Time: Monday; Wednesday 11:00 AM - 12:20 PM EDT
Level: 100-Level
Certificate: Civic Engagement, Global Studies
Civic Engagement certificate requirement: A community-engaged Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) course.
Global Studies certificate requirement: Elective.
Instructor: Saad Amira, Al-Quds Bard College
This course proposes an overview of the development of social movements and youth politics in the Middle East by exploring three cities: Beirut, Amman, and Ramallah. Through case studies, the course analyzes the genealogy and structure of social movements in these sites by discussing current literature and theoretical debates. By looking at recent social movements (or civil society movements) in Lebanon, the ongoing youth movements in Palestine and Jordan, we are going to explore the nexus between state policies and the development of social movements. This course will provide in-depth examination of the following case studies: Bairūt Madinati (Beirut, my city), Al-Ḥirāk Al-Shabābī al-Urdunnī (The Jordanian Youth Movement), and the Palestinian al-Ḥirāk al-Shabābī al-Mustaqil (The Independent Youth Movement).
Credits: 4 US / 8 ECTS