Eagle Eye: The Political Formation of Contemporary World and Its Future Trends

Duration: 3 Days (18 hours)
Fees: $450

Introduction

The rabbit may spend a lifetime exploring the tiny details of its neighborhood but it will not be able to capture an inclusive scene of the whole forest. It might even die before it knows that a river, a mountain, or a safe haven is not far from its burrow. While the eagle needs only a short time flying to capture this scene.

Understanding the overall picture of history and course of events, and the map of political forces and interests, is essential for those working in the social, economic and political fields. It is vital for those concerned with decision making, future and strategic international developments, and revival projects. All of this must be done in the context of a balanced understanding of individual capacities, different forces and their weights, in addition to the chances and challenges produced by events and the movement of history.

The Eagle Eye training course equips participants with the appropriate tools to understand this broad picture of contemporary world and its overlapping trends.

Course Objectives

• Studying the historical background that led to the formation of the geopolitical map of the contemporary world.

• Studying the political map of the contemporary world, including spheres of influence, map of world powers, maps of potentials and balances, and the factors influencing the course of events.

• Studying likely future changes, including powers that are likely to rise or fall, and possible developments in the Arab and Muslim world.

Course Topics

I. Historical Background
• Understanding the movement of history.
• The decline of Arabic and Muslim civilization and its reasons.
• Western colonization: from rise to demise.
• European renaissance and industrial revolution and their implications.
• Modern and contemporary ideologies.
• The emergence of modern states.
• Renewal and reform movements in the Arab and Muslim countries.
• The Jewish question and world Zionist movement.

II. Map of Contemporary World
• Great wars and weapons of mass destruction.
• From traditional to modern colonization.
• The map of great powers: from bipolar to unipolar: America’s rise.
• From industrial to information revolution.
• The idea state, nation-state and national state.
• Globalization and its manifestations.
• The Zionist project: manifestations of its rise and the problems of positioning.
• Projects of cultural uprising, and revolutions and changes in the Arab and Muslim world.

III. Future Tracks
• Globalization tracks.
• The World and the crisis of man, environment and economy.
• United States: Where to?
• China, India, EU and Russia: Where to?
• The future of the Arab and Muslim region.
• The future of Islamic project and “Political Islam.”
• The future of the Zionist project.


 

Political Analysis

Duration: 3 Days (18 hours)
Fees: $450

Introduction

Political analysis skills are among the most important skills needed by authors, researchers, politicians and those working in the media. They are indispensable for understanding events, comprehending their implications and complexities, and presenting integrated, clear analysis of the events and their significance.

Course Objectives

• Helping participants to correctly understand political events and their implications.

• Providing better understanding of the way political parties are formed, and their relative power.

• Helping participants to achieve better level of identifying elements of strength, opportunity, risk and potential challenge when dealing with political events.

• Developing political writing skills and analysis methods.

Course Topics

I.  Introduction to Political Analysis
• Defining political analysis.
• Goals and importance of political analysis.
• The four requirements for successful political analysis.

II. The Seven Factors Influencing Political Events, and Their Implications on Drafting Political Analysis

III. Case Study: Most Important Factors Affecting the Political Decision-Making Process

IV. Importance of Language in Political Analysis
• Political determinants for preparing analysis.
• Aesthetic rules for effective use of language.

V.  The Steps of Political Analysis Process
• Specifying the title.
• Collecting data (4 steps).
• Commentary (comparison and analysis–deconstruction).
• Forming the vision (construction).
• Drawing expectations and probabilities.
• Final drafting considerations.

VI.  Training the Participants to Draft Political Analysis:
Drafting samples of political analysis, discussing them, and commenting on them.


 

Situation Assessment (Strategic Assessment)

Duration: 2 Days (12 hours)
Fees: $300

Introduction

It is not unusual for those concerned with foresight to prepare situation assessments or strategic assessments that study a group of conditions and factors affecting a certain issue, and its future probabilities, while trying to identify the most likely scenario or possibility, then presenting relevant recommendations.

Think Tanks and experts usually prepare situation assessments for decision makers to benefit from them in political and economic fields.

Course Objectives

• Developing the political skills of participants and their ability to understand and analyze events.

• Developing the abilities of participants to build scenarios and expectations, and pinpoint likely scenarios.

• Developing the abilities of participants to study future political trends.

• Developing the skills of participants in providing written assessments of political scenarios.

Course Topics

I. Introduction to Situation Assessment (Strategic Assessment)
• Definition.
• Goals.
• Comparing press release, political analysis and situation assessment.

II. The  Octet Cycle for the Political Decision-Making Process and How It Could be Employed in Political Assessment

III. Factors Affecting the Analysis of Political Conflicts, and Their Application on Situation Assessment

IV. Drafting A Situation Assessment (Classic Style)
• Identifying the problem.
• Collecting data.
• Building intact vision.
• Identifying scenarios.
• Pinpointing the likely scenario.
• Recommendations.

V. The Art of Drafting Situation Assessment (Advocacy Style)

VI. Practical Training:
Writing and discussing situation assessment and commenting on it.


 

Political Conflict Management

Duration: 2 Days (12 hours)
Fees: $300

Course Objectives

• Enhancing the ability to understand the direction of events, make decisions, and face political crises and conflicts.

• Developing creative political thinking and expanding areas of movement and margins of political maneuver.

• Developing the political performance of the participants, teaching them new political skills, and developing their sense of political initiative.

• Developing the skills and foresight of participants in studying possible future trends.

Course Topics

I. Concepts and Goals of Political Conflict
• Goals of the management of political conflict.
• Qualities of politicians qualified for conflict management.
• Concepts: crises, dispersion, conflict.
• Motives and types of conflicts.
• The political decision and management of political conflict.

II. Political Environment of the Conflict
• Parties to the conflict, their interests and motives, and the implications of the conflict on them.
• Factors affecting the conflict: political, economic, and social.
• Three geographic dimensions of the conflict (local, regional and international).

III. Temporal Aspects of the Conflict
• The past—importance of historical memory.
• The present—reading and diagnosing the present.
• The future—foresight and futurology.

IV. Strategies of Conflict Management
• Possible endings of the conflict.
• Managing political relations.
• The eight strategies for conflict management.

V. Conflict Management
• Neutralization, discouragement and distracting of enemies.
• Skills and rules for conflict management.
• Planning mechanisms and having a strategic plan to manage the conflict.
• How do we develop our capacities to manage the conflict?

VI. The Course Engages the Participants in Practical Training and Workshops


 

Course on Futures Studies

Duration: 3 Days (15 hours)
Fees: $350

Course Topics

I. Session Titles
• Patterns of change.
• Direction of change.
• Speed of change.
• Centrality of change.
• Adaptation to change.

II. Techniques and Methods

1. Guidance Methods
• Brainstorming.
• Causal Layered Analysis (CLA).
• Backcasting.
• Scenario.

2. Quantitative or Descriptive Methods
• Delphi.
• Futures Wheel.
• Cross Impact Matrix.
• Envelope Curve.
• Relevance Tree.
• Projection.
• Technological Forecasting.
• Content analysis.
• Simulation/Game.


 

The Art and Skills of Negotiation

Duration: 3 Days (15 hours)
Fees: $350

Course Objectives:

The course aims at providing trainees with:

• The latest scientific, social and psychological means for managing negotiations.
• Communication skills for effective negotiation.
• Skills of conflict resolution.
• Basics of negotiation.
• Skills for preparation for negotiation.
• Negotiation strategies.
• Skills to engage in negotiations.
• Mediation skills.
• Skills to conclude agreements.

Course Contents

1. Communication Skills for Effective Negotiation  
• Concept of communication.
• Forms of communication.
• Kinds of communication.
• Listening.
• Dialogue.
• Persuasion.

2. Conflict Resolution
• Concept of conflict.
• Conflict theory.
• Reasons for conflict.
• Methods of conflict resolution.

3. The Stage of Preparation for Negotiation
• Concept of negotiation.
• Kinds of negotiation.
• Elements of negotiation.
• Conditions for negotiation.
• Principles of negotiation.
• Skills of successful negotiators.
• Tactics and strategies for effective negotiation.
• Place and time of negotiation.
• Negotiation team.

4. The Stage of Entering the Negotiation Process
• Negotiation agenda.
• Rounds of negotiation.
• Negotiators’ personality type.
• Roles of the successful negotiator.
• Strategies and tactics of an effective negotiation.
• Impasse in negotiation.
• Roles of the negotiators.
• Kinds of concessions.
• Settlements.

5. Mediation
• Concept of mediation.
• Skills of a successful mediator.
• Role of a successful mediator.
• Conditions for a successful agreement.
• Obstacles to the agreement.
• Signing the agreement.

6. Post-agreement
• Implementing the terms of the agreement.
• Violating the terms of the agreement.
• Violating some terms of the agreement.