Israel and Middle East Policy
What You Need To Know
The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in partnership with The Lauder School of Government of the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya, Israel offer SU undergraduate students an intensive two-week foreign study program in Israel. This program provides an unusual opportunity to study with some of the world’s top foreign affairs experts. IDC’s Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) is one of the leading academic institutes and think tanks for counter-terrorism in the world.
Students learn firsthand how Israelis view their conflict with the Arab world, and how they deal with terrorism and other security issues. As students consider important policy issues from a socio-political and historical context, they will experience every-day life in Israel. There will be lots of opportunities to engage in dialogues with Israeli faculty and students in the classroom and informal settings.
Designed for SU students exclusively, the academic program features a series of lectures on a wide range of topics. Students will earn three credits for this course of study. In addition to class meetings, a variety of cultural events and tours will be organized for the students to enhance their appreciation of Israeli culture. Israel is a land of many different political, cultural, and geographical landscapes.
Course
Israel and Middle East Policy (PSC 400, 3 credits, undergraduate)
This course features a series of lectures on a wide range of topics that include:
- Middle East Politics and Society
- The Arab-Israeli Conflict
- The Persian Gulf
- Media & the Middle East
- The Courts, Human Rights & the Conflict
- State and Religion in Israel
- Israeli-Arabs as a National Minority
- Palestinian Politics & Society
- Dilemmas in Counter-Terrorism Decision-Making
- History of Terrorism
- Women & Israeli Politics
Faculty
The classroom teaching is largely done by distinguished IDC faculty members with extensive international expertise and research interests.
Linda Birnbaum, senior director of development at the Maxwell School, may be contacted regarding questions of course content or touring during the course. She or a Maxwell School faculty member leads the SU student delegation to Herzliya..
Eligibility
SU undergraduate students in all disciplines are encouraged to apply. A background in political science is not required. The key requirements are personal maturity and a willingness to learn and have an open mind. Enrollment will be limited to 12 students.
Travel and Living
Students arrange and pay for their own flights to Tel-Aviv and for their ground transportation from the airport to their hotel in Herzliya. Students should arrange to arrive in Tel-Aviv on Sunday, May 11. Classes begin on Monday afternoon, May 12 and end in the late afternoon on Friday, May 23. Students should arrange to depart Israel on Sunday, May 25.
Transportation for course-related field trips are arranged by SU Abroad and included in the program fee.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not purchase your airline ticket before receiving written notification from us that you can book your flight. You will have to present this notification if we cancel the program at a later date and you want to be reimbursed for the cost of the ticket.
Students are housed in shared rooms at the Tadmor Hotel on the beach in Herzliya. Meals are not included. You can visit the hotel’s website www.tadmor.co.il/. Herzliya is about a twenty-minute drive north of Tel-Aviv. Daily transport from the hotel to the IDC will be arranged.
Dates
| Arrival in Tel-Aviv | May 10, 2009 |
| Housing begins | May 10, 2009 |
| Course begins | May 11 |
| Course ends | TBA |
| Program ends | May 24, 2009 |
| Application deadline | March 1* |
| *Applications received after March 1 will be considered if there is still space in the program. | |
Costs
| UNDERGRADUATE (3 credits) | |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $2,712 (estimated) |
| A stipend from Gerald Cramer will cover the entire tuition fee. | |
| Program Fee | TBA |
| Total | TBA |