COURSE UNIT TITLE

Offered By

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (UOLP-SUNY ALBANY)

Level of Course Unit

First Cycle Programmes (Bachelor's Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IBRAHIM SAYLAN

Offered to

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (UOLP-SUNY ALBANY)
Political Science and International Relations (UOLP-SUNY ALBANY)

Course Objective

The aim of the course is to introduce learners to the comparative analysis of diverse paths to modernity with respect to governmental structures, ideologies, secularization, class relations, the role of elites and so on. After an introduction of major texts and debates in historical sociology, the course will continue with case studies

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

C.Tilly, Big Structures, Large Processes, Huge Comparisons, Russel Sage Foundation, New
York, 2006
F.Braudel, History and the Social Sciences, Review, 32(2), 2009, pp. 171-203
P.Anderson, Lineages of the Absolutist State, Verso, London, 1979
T.Skocpol (Ed.), Vision and Method in Historical Sociology, Cambridge University Press,
1984
B.Moore, Social Origins of Democracy and Dictatorship, Beacon Press, Boston, 1966
E.P.Thompson, The Making of the English Working Class, Pantheon Books, New York, 1964
P.Bourdieu, The Logic of Practice, Stanford University Press, Stanford CA, 1990
R.Hilton, The Transition from Feudalism to Capitalism, Verso, London, 1978
R.Brenner, Origins of Capitalist Development: A Critique of Neo-Smithian Marxism, New
Left Review, 104, 1977, pp. 25-92
G.Therborn, Routes to/through Modernity in Featherson et al (eds) Global Modernities,
Sage, London, 1995
J.A.Goldstone, The Comparative and Historical Study of Revolutions, Annual Review of
Sociology, 8, 1982, pp. 187-207
D.C. Tipps, `Modernization Theory and the Comparative Study of Societies: A Critical
Perspective , Comparative Studies in Society and History 15 (2), March 1973, pp. 199-
226.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

1. Lecture
2. Discussion of weekly readings
3. Presentation of term-papers

Assessment Methods

Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

The learners will:
1) Clearly and coherently explain the concepts, arguments and debates in historical
sociology.
2) Compare and contrast diverse paths to modernity with regard to certain common
criteria.
3) Make a well organized presentation to discuss questions and findings about a case
study.
4) Submit a term-paper on that case study taking the feedback from peers and the
instructor into consideration. The paper will include an organized structure,
literature review, research question, proper citations, and supported arguments.
The rubric that will be used in the evaluation of the term paper and term paper
presentations:
a) Poor (0%) b) Fair (40%) c) Good (60%) d) Very good (80%) e) Excellent (100%)
Assignment / term project evaluation criteria (Total Points 100):
1)Justification of the subject choice - 10 Points a) Justification of the subject
choice not provided b) Justification of the subject choice insufficiently provided c)
Justification of the subject choice provided but without reference to the Course
Objectives d) Justification of the subject choice concerning the Course Objectives
sufficiently provided e) Significance and relevance of the subject concerning the
Course Objectives explained in a detailed way
2)Definition of the research question - 10 Points a) Research question not specified b)
Research question vaguely defined c) Research question not fully defined d) Research
question fully defined but without specifying the context e) Research question fully
defined in the specific context of the subject
3)Theoretical framework - 20 Points a) The essay lacks a theoretical framework b)
Theoretical framework weak and poorly connected to the research question c) Theoretical
framework provided but without the necessary connections to the research question d)
Theoretical framework sufficiently elaborated and used to answer the research question
e) Theoretical framework competently used to answer the research question
4)Empirical evidence - 20 Points a) No empirical evidence for responding to the
research question provided b) Empirical evidence insufficiently provided to develop
and support arguments c) Empirical evidence provided but in a disorganized way d)
Empirical evidence sufficiently provided and connected to the arguments of the essay e)
Empirical evidence sufficiently provided and elegantly employed to describe the
conditions and developments that characterize the context and to substantiate the
arguments of the essay
5)Argumentation - 30 Points a) No arguments to respond to the research question
developed b) Arguments to explain the research question insufficiently and
inconsistently made c) Arguments to explain the research question sufficiently made
but in a disorganized way d) Arguments to explain the research question made in an
analytical and systematic way e) Arguments to explain the research question developed
coherently and analytically, supported by a well-knit combination of theory and
empirical evidence
6)Standard citation style and bibliography - 10 Points a) No bibliography provided b)
Standard citation style not used c) Standard citation style not regularly used
throughout the text d) Standard citation style regularly used throughout the text e)
Standard citation style regularly used throughout the text and a bibliography included
at the end of the essay

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. Students should read the assigned material prior to class and participate in class discussions.
4. Each student will choose a term-paper topic with the guidance of the instructor. Students should discuss draft papers with the instructor, present them in class, and then rewrite based on the feedback

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

ibrahim.saylan@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

To be announced later.

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes