COURSE UNIT TITLE

Offered By

International Relations

Level of Course Unit

First Cycle Programmes (Bachelor's Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR ILKIM ÖZDIKMENLI ÇELIKOĞLU

Offered to

International Relations

Course Objective

The aim of this course is to familiarize students with different systems of government. It is vital for students of international relations to understand how the machinery of state works in some influential actors of world politics such as the USA, Germany, UK, France, Russia and China. In our globalized world, the term governance is being used to refer to the ever-changing and highly complex network of actors, institutions, relationships and processes in decision making. Taking these major changes since the late 1970s into consideration, this course aims to understand and classify types of government in a comparative and critical perspective. We will explore parliamentary, presidential and semi-presidential executives, federal and unitary systems, tiers of multi-level governance, interest group involvement, electoral systems, legislative and judicial structures etc. on a country-by-country basis.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Recomended or Required Reading

Rod Hague, Martin Harrop, John McCormick, Comparative Government and Politics, 11th Edition. London: Red Globe Press, 2019.
* Additional sources on each country to be studied will be announced in the first week.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

1.Lecture
2.Class discussion
3.Case studies

Assessment Methods

Further Notes About Assessment Methods

Case Analysis: By Week 2 at the latest, students, individually or as a group, will be assigned to prepare a report about a particular actor, institution or process in one of the abovementioned countries, and present it in class.

Assessment Criteria

1. Students will identify major conceptual and theoretical frameworks employed to classify government types
2. Students will properly explain and compare various governmental processes and institutions in the countries to be discussed
3. Students will explain and evaluate institutional variations among different states by taking into consideration unique historical factors as well as world-wide trends
4. Students will conduct case studies on assigned topics in line with rules of academic research
5. Students will deliver well-articulated and systematic presentations of research findings

The rubric that will be used in the evaluation of the case studies:

Proper and adequate literature review (40 points)
Falls short of expectations-Poor(0%)
Does not fit the context-Fair(40%)
Fits the context at an acceptable standard-Good(60%)
Developed well-Very good(80%)
Developed perfectly-Excellent(100%)

Structure and organization (10 points)
Falls short of expectations-Poor(0%)
Does not fit the context-Fair(40%)
Fits the context at an acceptable standard-Good(60%)
Developed well-Very good(80%)
Developed perfectly-Excellent(100%)

Establishing the link between the topic and course content (20 points)
Absent/falls short of expectations-Poor(0%)
Does not fit the context-Fair(40%)
Fits the context at an acceptable standard-Good(60%)
Developed well-Very good(80%)
Developed perfectly-Excellent(100%)

Academic writing rules (20 points)
Falls short of expectations-Poor(0%)
Does not fit the context-Fair(40%)
Fits the context at an acceptable standard-Good(60%)
Developed well-Very good(80%)
Developed perfectly-Excellent(100%)

Communication skills in the presentations (10 points)
Falls short of expectations-Poor(0%)
Does not fit the context-Fair(40%)
Fits the context at an acceptable standard-Good(60%)
Developed well-Very good(80%)
Developed perfectly-Excellent(100%)

Important note: In case of plagiarism, students will automatically get a grade lower
than the passing grade.

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules

1. Attending at least 70% of lectures is mandatory.
2. Plagiarism of any type will result in disciplinary action.
3. Participation in class discussions is expected.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

ilkim.ozdikmenli@deu.edu.tr
Ofis no: 243/B

Office Hours

To be anounced later.

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes