Middle East and Northern Africa: Gulf States “Challenging Students to Think Critically: Reflections on IR Theory Teaching in the UAE”

International Relations theories are lenses or models that simplify the complexities of world politics into meaningful metaphors. As such, deep discussions of IR theories can help students develop critical-thinking skills which they can use in their future careers and lives more generally. The challenge before IR theory instructors, however, is to stimulate students to ponder theoretical propositions that they take as facts, dismiss as delusions, or simply do not take seriously. In this chapter I argue that this challenge is not unsurmountable and IR theory teachers can design their pedagogical tools to emphasize critical thinking through course assignments and assessments, including class and online discussions. In this chapter, I discuss this argument in light of my experience in teaching IR theory in eleven classes at Zayed University, UAE, between 2018 and 2024, both in-person and online.