Israel–US Special Relations (V1472)
Special Subject: Israel–US Special Relations and the New Diplomatic History
Module V1472
Module details for 2023/24.
30 credits
FHEQ Level 6
Module Outline
There are two principal characteristics of the old Diplomatic History: firstly, it concentrates on the relationship between states, and secondly, it is based on diplomatic documents located in national archives. New Diplomatic History aims to widen both the scope of discussion and its source materials. A good example of the impact of the new diplomatic history will be the special relationship between the United States and Israel. Scholars studied these relations on the state level as well as through the study of the interactions between states and diplomats. For reasons that will be discussed in the module, this approach was unable to address the question of why those relationships were formed, and why they endured for so long. In this module, we will examine those issues by expanding the scope of study and assuming that diplomacy is not confined to state-to-state exchanges, which are carried out exclusively by elites. In part A we will concentrate on the theoretical and conceptual ideas that lay the ground for the making of the special relations between the two nations. In part B we will study the way ideas and concepts became policy, and the way the special relationships took shape and form. This module examines the forces that shaped the special relationship, encompassing factors that went beyond state officials and state interests. We will explore the way religion, values and history laid the foundation for the making of the special relationship and sustained them for so long. Expanding the meaning of diplomacy, the module will explore the range of contacts between the people of the two nations at various levels - security, military, economics, trade, culture, tourism – demonstrating that the special relationship was not only between the two countries, at the state-to-state level, but also between the people of the two nations.
Module learning outcomes
Write on a focused topic with critical awareness of broader course themes
Demonstrate critical understanding of key academic debates
Locate, analyse and interpret primary source materials
Demonstrate strong factual and conceptual understanding
| Type | Timing | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 100.00% | |
| Coursework components. Weighted as shown below. | ||
| Essay | A1 Week 1 | 30.00% |
| Essay | T2 Week 5 | 30.00% |
| Essay | A2 Week 2 | 40.00% |
Timing
Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.
Weighting
Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.
| Term | Method | Duration | Week pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn Semester | Seminar | 2 hours | 11111111111 |
| Spring Semester | Seminar | 2 hours | 11111111111 |
How to read the week pattern
The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.
Prof David Tal
Convenor
/profiles/327798
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