​Human Rights, Security, and Development in Morocco:

A Public Leadership Perspective

PUAF 359T  /  PUAF 798T  /  CPSP 379P  /  UNIV 318P​
3 Credits​
Winter Term 2014

December 29, 2013 to January 15, 2014

 

Course Description

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The course will expose students to Morocco and its important role in North Africa, especially focusing on leadership to advance human rights, security, and development in a changing environment. The course consists of:

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a. Lectures by Moroccan scholars on the Arab Spring in Morocco; the role and practice of Islam in Moroccan society; the women's and Amazigh (Berber) movements; the political process and efforts to democratize Moroccan society in the midst of concerns over Islamic extremism; and rights-based development and education. (All lectures will be held in Rabat at AMIDEAST, our partner organization in Morocco, which helps run the program.)
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b. Students will also learn survival Moroccan Arabic in the first week.
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c. Living with host families to be fully immersed in Moroccan culture.
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d. Field trips in Rabat to various NGOs, the Moroccan parliament, the Royal Institute for Amazigh Studies, the Human Development Initiative, and the USAID office in Rabat.
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e. Weekend trips to Fez, Casablanca, Marrakesh, Meknes, Volublis. This includes sightseeing (including important cultural landmarks such as the Hassan II Mosque) as well as additional NGO visits.
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f. Visit to a rural Berber village, Toufstlt, outside of Ain Leuh in the foothills of the Middle Atlas Mountains. The group will visit an elementary school to meet with techers and school children and to see another side of life in Morocco, outside of the big city and away from the common tourist's trail.
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g. Group discussion sessions.

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Through these interactions, students will be able to learn and dialogue about important and current issues in Morocco, including poverty, democratization, and women's and minority rights. Students should come out of the course with a solid understanding of ethical issues and strategies in Morocco’s political, economic, and social development.

 

 

Course Grading

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         -- Participation (20%)
         -- Personal Journals (30%)
         -- Final Paper (50%)



1. Participation: Pose questions, share observations, formulate new insights, challenge and evaluate others’ views, mediate differences. Nonparticipation includes passive listening. Lateness to lectures is unacceptable.



2. Personal Journals: Must be written daily while in Morocco, no more than 100 words/day. Do it before retiring each night (you will forget much by the next day). Reflect on lectures, discussions, site visits, and other group or personal activities. You need only write about one topic, but can definitely discuss multiple topics.  Here are some suggestions for critical reflection:



a. Something you learned, something that surprised you, and why. How has this experience affected you?
b. New questions or problems you want to learn more about in Morocco.
c. Substantive additions to the readings or your thoughts on the readings in the context of the day’s events.

 

The journal entries can include photos.



Due on Monday, January 20 (anytime), but feel free to submit when we leave Morocco. Typed journals can be emailed to us, and hard copies can be given to us on the last day in Morocco or in Professor Dr. Crocker’s mailbox (VMH 2101).

 

Best entries to be posted on course website: we will ask you to select a couple of your favorite journal entries from the trip and we will post one entry from each of you on a public website for our course once we are back. We will also ask you to share a few of your favorite pictures which we will also post on the website.



 

3. Final Paper: Should be an analytical paper on one/a few of the major theme(s) of the course, informed by research (primary and secondary) and your own Moroccan experience.

 

Due Monday, February 10 (anytime) via email.

Undergraduate papers: 10-12 pages, typed, double-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman Font, 1” margins.
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Graduate students’ papers: 20 pages typed, double-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman Font, 1” margins.

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Examples of some final paper topics:

 

• A critical review of some of your readings.
• Critically analyze the mission and operation of an organization you visited while in Morocco.
• Further develop an issue relating to the general themes we addressed in the course, such as women’s rights and Moroccan development, security challenges, or the democratization process in Morocco.

 

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Course Readings

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Most readings are available electronically and have links listed below. Some readings are in books that should be purchased or borrowed from the library.

 

Books Recommended for Purchase

 

1. Gelvin, James L., The Arab Uprisings: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012).

2. Maddy-Weitzman, Bruce. The Berber Identity Movement and the Challenge to North African States (Austin: University of Texas Press, 2011).

3. Reveron, Derek S., and Kathleen A. Mahoney-Norris. Human Security in a Borderless World (Boulder, CO: Westview Press: Perseus Books Group, 2011).

4. A good tour guide on Morocco, such as the Rough Guide to Morocco, Lonely Planet Morocco, Eyewitness Guide, Fodor’s Morocco. You may also find useful, Moroccan Arabic: Lonely Planet Phrasebook.

 

 

REQUIRED READING: To be read before arrival in Morocco

 

 

Study Abroad – Ethical Issues and Challenges

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• Selinger, Evan. “Ethics and Poverty Tours,” Philosophy and Public Policy Quarterly, Vol. 29. No. 1/2 (Winter/Spring 2009), 2-7.

  • Read the FIRST ARTICLE located at this link: http://ippp.gmu.edu/QQ/Vol29_1-2.pdf

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• ​Crocker, David A. “Cross-Cultural Criticism and Development Ethics,” Philosophy and Public Policy Quarterly, Vol. 24. No 3 (Summer 2004), 2-8.​

  • Click here for Dr. Crocker's article on development ethics.



 

Course Themes:

“Human Rights, Security, and Development in Morocco: A Public Leadership Perspective”

 

• ​Crocker, David A. “Democratic Leadership, Citizenship, and Social Justice,” Leadership and Global Justice, edited by Hicks and Williamson, (Blasingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012) pp. 43-56.

  • Click here for Dr. Crocker's article on democratic leadership.

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• Nickel, James, “Human Rights,” in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy,

  • http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rights-human/

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• Reveron, Derek S., and Kathleen A. Mahoney-Norris. Human Security in a Borderless World. (Boulder, CO: Westview Press: Perseus Books Group, 2011). (Chs. 1-3, 8).

 

 

The Arab World and the Arab Uprising

 

• Gelvin, James L. The Arab Uprisings: What Everyone Needs to Know (2012), Ch.1, Ch.5 (119-35), Ch.6 (155-58)

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Morocco - General background/Data

 

Familiarize yourself with at least one of these data collections on Morocco:

 

• The World Bank

  • Country Data Page

    • http://data.worldbank.org/country/morocco

  • Morocco Country Brief

    • http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/morocco

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• US State Department

  • http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5431.htm

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• USAID

  • (Browse subjects of particular interest to you, e.g. democracy and governance; peace and security; economic growth and trade; education)

  • http://www.usaid.gov/locations/middle_east/countries/morocco/

 

• UNDP Human Development Index

  • http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/MAR.html

 

• CIA World Factbook

  • www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mo.html

 

 

 

SPECIALIZED TOPICS - Selected REQUIRED Reading before Morocco

 

In addition to the general readings above, you are expected to choose at least one of the course themes and master more in-depth, focused readings in that topic prior to departure. You can choose more than one if you would like – in fact we recommend that but it is not required. The following are the required readings for the specialized topics.

 

 

Morocco – Economic Development

 

• Achy, Lahcen, “Morocco’s Stalling Economy.” Al-Monitor, May 29, 2012 (Op-ed)

  • http://carnegie-mec.org/publications/?fa=48252&lang=en

 

 

Morocco – Political Development, the Monarchy, and Democratization

 

• Ottaway, David, “Morocco’s Islamists: In Power without Power”. Woodrow Wilson Center Viewpoints Series, August 2012.

  • http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/moroccos_islamists_in_power_without_power_1.pdf

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• Lalami, Laila, “The Moroccan Exception,” Nation. Sept 12, 2011. Vol. 293 Issue 11, p29-31.

  • http://www.thenation.com/article/162967/moroccan-exception

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• Monjib, Maati, The "Democratization" Process in Morocco: Progress, Obstacles and the Impact of the Islamist-Secularist Divide, Brookings working paper.

  • http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2011/08_morocco_monjib/08_morocco_monjib.pdf

 

 

Morocco – Security

 

• Pham, J. Peter, “Morocco’s Vital Role in Northwest Africa’s Security and Development”, Issue Brief, The Atlantic Council, November 2013.

  • http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/images/publications/Moroccos_Vital_Role.pdf

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• Sage, Andre Le, "The evolving threat of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb." In Strategic forum 268 (2011) Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University.

  • Excellent overview of the threat from Islamic extremists in North Africa as background for understanding Morocco’s real concerns and important role to play in countering violent extremism.

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• Thomson, Eric V. and Will McCants, “Partners Against Terror:  Opportunities and Challenges for U.S.-Moroccan Counterterrorism Cooperation”, CNA Institute for Public Research, November 2013.

  • http://www.cna.org/sites/default/files/research/PartnersAgainstTerrorism2.pdf

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• Abdallah Saaf, “Democratic Governance of Security in Morocco.”

  • http://www.arab-reform.net/sites/default/files/SSR_Maroc_Saaf_EN_Final.pdf

 

 

Morocco – Gender and Women’s Rights

 

• Zoglin, Katie, “Morocco’s Family Code: Improving Equality for Women”. Human Rights Quarterly 31, no. 4 (November 2009): 964-984.

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• Bordat, Stephanie Wilman, “Women as Agents of Grassroots Change: Illustrating Micro-Empowerment in Morocco”. Journal of Middle East Women’s Studies. Volume 7, no. 1 (Winter 2011): 90-119.

  • Click here for Stephanie Bordat's article on women and grassroots change.

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• “Morocco under Fire over Women’s Rights Bill,”

  • http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/12/morocco-pm-grilled-over-women-rights-bill-2013125570991964.html

 

 

Morocco – Berbers (Amazigh) and Minority Rights

 

• Maddy-Weitzman, Bruce, The Berber Identity Movement and the Challenge to North African States.

  • Introduction, Ch.6, Conclusion.

 

 

RECOMMENDED READINGS

 

The following readings are relevant but not required. They provide additional background for final papers.

 

Morocco - Economic Development

 

• Achy, Lahcen, “Morocco’s Experience with Poverty Reduction: Lessons for the Arab World”, Carnegie Middle East Center.  Washington, DC: Number 25, December 2010.

  • http://carnegieendowment.org/files/morocco_poverty1.pdf

 

• Achy, Lahcen, Morocco’s Economy: Poor Performance for 2012 and Deferred Reform”

  • http://carnegie-mec.org/publications/?fa=50652

 

 

Morocco – Political Development, the Monarchy, and Democratization

 

• Traub, James, “The Reformer in Rabat”. Foreign Policy. August 10, 2012.

  • http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/08/10/the_reformer_in_rabat?page=0,0

 

• Ottaway, Marina, “Morocco: Can the Third Way Succeed?” July 30, 2012.

  • http://carnegieendowment.org/2012/07/31/morocco-can-third-way-succeed/d3op

 

• Ottaway, Marina, “Morocco: Advanced Decentralization Meets Sahara Autonomy Initiative.” Woodrow Wilson Center, Viewpoints #27.

  • http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/morocco_advanced_decentralization_meets_sahara_autonomy_initiative.pdf

 

• Yom, Sean L., “The Survival of the Arab Monarchies,”

  • http://mideastafrica.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/11/12/the_survival_of_the_arab_monarchies#sthash.01bzhz6c.dpbs

 

• Maddy-Weitzman, Bruce, “Is Morocco Immune to Upheaval,” Middle East Quarterly (Winter 2012), 87-93.

  • http://www.meforum.org/meq/pdfs/3114.pdf

 

• Totten, Michael J., “Is Morocco the Model for Arab Democracy, “

  • http://www.thetower.org/article/is-morocco-the-model-for-arab-democracy

 

 

Morocco – Security

 

• Global Peace Index Report, 2013. Ed. Economist Intelligence Unit. Sydney, Australia: Institute for Economics and Peace.  Recent Report: Read Executive Summary and look at indicators of peace and trends, Skim First Chapter, and search for Morocco references (Morocco is ranked 57/162 countries).

  • http://www.visionofhumanity.org/pdf/gpi/2013_Global_Peace_Index_Report.pdf

 

• Reveron, Derek S., and Kathleen A. Mahoney-Norris. 2011. Human Security in a Borderless World. Boulder, CO: Westview Press: Perseus Books Group. (Chs. 4-7)

 

• Newman, Edward. 2011. "A Human Security Peace-Building Agenda." Third World Quarterly no. 32 (10):1737-1756.

  • http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/01436597.2011.610568

 

 

Morocco – Gender and Women’s Rights

 

• The International Foundation for Electoral Systems, “Focus on Morocco: Social Attitudes Toward Women,” Topic Brief.” June 22, 2010.

  • http://www.ifes.org/Content/Publications/Papers/2010/~/media/Files/Publications/Papers/2010/swmena/2010_Morocco_Social_Attitudes_English.pdf

 

• Women after the Arab Spring: Making Change. Transcript of event at Brookings, Oct 25, 2012.

  • Read the parts of the Moroccan representative, Souad Siaoui, 4-7, 21-22, 25-26. 33, 36

    • http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/events/2012/10/25 women arab awakening/20121025_arab_women.pdf

 

• Desrues, Thierry and Juana Moreno Nieto, “The Development of Gender Equality for Moroccan Women – Illusion or Reality?” Journal of Gender Studies. 18, no. 1 (March 2009): 25-34.

  • http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy-umresearchport.umd.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=228bacbc-3399-4e87-a26c-24b1ace0d352%40sessionmgr198&vid=2&hid=124

 

• “Morocco under Fire over Women’s Rights Bill,”

  • http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/12/morocco-pm-grilled-over-women-rights-bill-2013125570991964.html

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Morocco – Berbers (Amazigh) and Minority Rights

 

• “Springtime for them too?”. The Economist.  August 13, 2011.

  • http://www.economist.com/node/21525925

 

• “Giving Voice to a Long Repressed People”. U.S. News & World Report. March 24, 2008, Vol. 144 Issue 9, pp. 29-30.

 

• Maddy-Weitzman, Bruce, The Berber Identity Movement and the Challenge to North African States, Chs.3,5.

 

 

 

Course Policies

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Attendance: Students must attend all class sessions, site visits, field visits, and group activities, including discussions during our time in Morocco. Lateness and skipping sessions is unacceptable.



Late assignments: Late assignments will be penalized at 10% per day.

Students with disabilities: If you are a student with a documented physical or learning disability, please notify one of your directors at your earliest convenience so that we can make arrangements for necessary accommodations.

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Conduct and behavior abroad: As ethically responsible adults and representatives of the University of Maryland, the Public Leadership Program, and the School of Public Policy, all students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and responsible manner during our study trip. This policy not only applies to our seminars and other joint activities, but also to your conduct with your host family and during your free time. The Director reserves the right to dismiss a student from the course and arrange for his or her return – at the student’s expense -- to the USA if, in the Director’s opinion, the student is taking unreasonable risks or acting irresponsibly or unprofessionally.