14494 - The Political Economy of Transformation Modulübersicht

Module Number: 14494
Module Title:The Political Economy of Transformation
  Die politische Ökonomie der Transformation
Department: Faculty 5 - Business, Law and Social Sciences
Responsible Staff Member:
  • Prof. Dr. rer. pol. habil. Berger, Wolfram
Language of Teaching / Examination:English
Duration:1 semester
Frequency of Offer: On special announcement
Credits: 6
Learning Outcome:By the end of the semester, students will have a solid grasp of theoretical concepts tied to a political economy perspective. Also, they will nuancedly understand the Gulf region's transformation strategies and their spatial implications. They will have acquired critical reflection skills and will be able to navigate and process complex conceptual texts. Students are competent in inter- and transdisciplinary research.
Contents:This seminar explores the ambitious transformation strategies of countries in the Arab Gulf region, aiming to transition from economies dependent on fossil fuel extraction to knowledge-based economies. Over the past two decades, governments of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have launched large-scale initiatives to re-deploy the windfalls of their oil and gas industries to diversify their economies. These strategies include investments in education, technological innovation, urban development, and green industries.

The seminar critically examines these efforts, their underlying motivations, and their broader implications. How do governments seek to restructure their economies? What role do transnational collaborations, urban megaprojects, and education hubs play in this transformation? And how are these strategies entangled with societal power relations, globalising capitalism, and geopolitics?
We will address these questions through a (cultural) political economy approach, case studies, and interactive discussions. Key topics include the concept of the knowledge-based economy and its global significance, the role of higher education, innovation zones, and urban projects in shaping economic futures as well as social challenges and conflicts tied to such transformation processes.
This seminar is designed for students with diverse social science backgrounds. It is divided into three phases.
  1. In the first part of the semester, students will engage in weekly sessions with conceptual texts on political economy approaches and key terms, such as the knowledge-based economy and economic transformation.
  2. In the second phase, students will work in small groups during a self-study period assisted by the lecturer to apply these concepts to specific case studies. Each group will explore a particular aspect of transformation strategies and processes in the Gulf region, such as urban megaprojects, transnational education zones, or transnational labour migration.
  3. The seminar culminates in the final phase, where groups will present their case study findings in class. These presentations will include critical analyses of the chosen cases, drawing on both theoretical insights and empirical examples, followed by facilitated discussions.
Recommended Prerequisites:None
Mandatory Prerequisites:None
Forms of Teaching and Proportion:
  • Seminar / 4 Hours per Week per Semester
  • Self organised studies / 120 Hours
Teaching Materials and Literature:
  • Ewers, M. C., & Malecki, E. J. (2010). Leapfrogging into the knowledge economy: Assessing the economic development strategies of the Arab Gulf states. Tijdschrift Voor Economische En Sociale Geografie, 101(5), 494–508.
  • Hanieh, A. (2018). Money, Markets, and Monarchies. Cambridge University Press.
  • Moisio, S. (2018). Geopolitics of the knowledge-based economy. Routledge.
  • Peck, J. (2016). Macroeconomic geographies. Area Development and Policy, 1(3), 305–322.
  • Rottleb, T. (2024). Building the Knowledge Economy, Transforming Cities? Transnational Education Zones as a Multi-Scalar Development Strategy in the Arab Gulf Region. Springer VS.
  • Sum, N.-L., & Jessop, B. (2013). Towards a cultural political economy: Putting culture in its place in political economy. Edward Elgar Pub. Ltd.
Module Examination:Continuous Assessment (MCA)
Assessment Mode for Module Examination:
  • Review: 1 page (10 %)
  • Presentation: 10 min (40 %)
  • Term paper: 6.000 words (50 %)
Evaluation of Module Examination:Performance Verification – graded
Limited Number of Participants:None
Part of the Study Programme:
  • Master (research-oriented) / Transformation Studies / PO 2024
Remarks:None
Module Components:
  • Seminar (4 SWS)
Components to be offered in the Current Semester: