COURSE UNIT TITLE

: SECULARIZATION: HISTORY AND THEORY

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
IRL 6109 SECULARIZATION: HISTORY AND THEORY ELECTIVE 3 0 0 8

Offered By

International Relations (English)

Level of Course Unit

Third Cycle Programmes (Doctorate Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ALI ŞEVKET OVALI

Offered to

International Relations (English)

Course Objective

While the role of religion and religious fundamentalisms in domestic and international affairs is widely studied, the process and ideal of secularization has been much ignored in political science. The aim of the course is to discuss the concepts of secular, secularization and secularism, to acquire knowledge about different secularisms , and to examine critically new theoretical approaches to secularization. To this end, both theoretical approaches and empirical material from various parts of the world will be examined.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   Acquire advanced knowledge on the development of secularism as a political and philosophical ideal since the Enlightenment
2   Compare and contrast different paths to secularization as well as identify common world-historical reasons behind secularization
3   Develop a historical, critical and comparative approach to contemporary discussions on the role of religion in public sphere in Turkey and elsewhere
4   Deliver elaborate and well articulated presentations of academic material to demonstrate a proficiency in presentation skills
5   Write a well-designed academic paper to demonstrate a proficiency in academic writing skills

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 Pre-history of secularization Key concepts
2 Enlightenment thought and secularism
3 Secularization in the Long 19th Century
4 Secularization Paradigm and Its Critics-I
5 Secularization Paradigm and Its Critics-II
6 Secularization in Christianity versus Secularization in Islam
7 France versus USA
8 Turkey-I
9 Turkey-II
10 Middle East
11 Paper presentations
12 Paper presentations
13 Paper presentations
14 Overview

Recomended or Required Reading

Full list to be announced later
Talal Asad.Formations of the Secular: Christianity, Islam, Modernity. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2003.
Berger, P. (1967). The Sacred Canopy. New York: Doubleday.
Berger, P. ve Luckmann, T. (1963). Sociology of Religion and Sociology of Knowledge. Sociology and Social Research. 47(4).
Berkes, Niyazi (1964).The Development of Secularism in Turkey. Montreal: McGill University Press.
Chadwick, Owen (1993). The Secularization of the European Mind in the Nineteenth Century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Chaves, Mark (1994). Secularization as Declining Religious Authority. Social Forces. 72(3): 749-774.
Davison, Andrew (1998). Secularism and Revivalism in Turkey: A Hermeneutic Reconsideration. Yale University Press.
Dobbelaere, Karel (1987). Some Trends in European Sociology of Religion: The Secularization Debate. Sociological Analysis. 48(2): 107-137.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Lecture, class discussions, student presentations, assignments

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE MIDTERM EXAM
2 STT TERM WORK (SEMESTER)
3 FIN FINAL EXAM
4 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE MTE * 0.30 + STT * 0.30 + FIN* 0.40
5 RST RESIT
6 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE * 0.30 + STT * 0.30 + RST* 0.40


*** Resit Exam is Not Administered in Institutions Where Resit is not Applicable.

Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

The students are expected to
1. Explain the basic concepts, assumptions and ideas of thinkers and scholars discussed in class, in a clear and consistent manner.
2. Compare and contrast different historical paths to secularity.
3. Present and discuss learning material in an elaborate and well organized manner.
4. Submit a well-designed research paper.

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules

1. Plagiarism of any type will result in disciplinary action.
2. Attending at least 70 percent of lectures is mandatory.
3. Students must read the learning material and participate in the discussions.
4. All assignments should be submitted on time. Otherwise they will not be accepted.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

To be announced later

Office Hours

To be announced later

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 12 3 36
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 12 7 84
Preparing assignments 1 80 80
Preparing presentations 1 5 5
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 205

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11PO.12PO.13
LO.15
LO.25
LO.35
LO.45
LO.55