COURSE UNIT TITLE

Offered By

International Relations (English)

Level of Course Unit

First Cycle Programmes (Bachelor's Degree)

Course Coordinator

PROFESSOR DOCTOR NAZIF MANDACI

Offered to

Political Science and International Relations (English)
International Relations (English)

Course Objective

The course focuses on the contemporary Balkans by its history, socio-political structures and of course intra-societal and international problems. The sections are roughly divided into three groups, one focusing on the histories of the nations in the region stretching from the medieval ages to the present; one on the contemporary Balkans with bleeding problems in most of the cases of which is inherited in a large number of socio-economic and political reforms following the end of communism; and the last one on the regional and global political development, changing balances affecting the involved Balkan nations.

The lectures handle in detail the nation-building processes of the nations in the region, and the implications of those processes on their internal societal structures and their bilateral and multilateral relations with the surrounding nations. Hence, the content of the lecture is designed to reflect all different dimensions of the Balkans by borrowing theoretical views from the disciplines of diplomatic history, political science, international relations, sociology and conflict resolution.

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

* Thanos Veremis, A Modern History of the Balkans, London and New York, Taurus Press, 2017.
* Robert Bideleux and Ian Jeffries, The Balkans: A Post-Communist History, London and New York: Routledge, 2007.
* Denis P. Hupchick, The Balkans: From Constantinople to Communism, Palgrave, 2002.
* Florian Bieber and Nikolaos Tzifakis, The Western Balkans in the World Linkages and Relations with Non-Western Countries, Routledge, 2020
* Benjamin Miller and Korina Kagan, The Great Powers and Regional Conflicts: Eastern Europe and the Balkans from the Post-Napoleonic Era to the Post-Cold War Era, International Studies Quarterly, Vol. 41, No. 1 (Mar., 1997), pp. 51-85.


Supplemental

* Barbara Jelavich, History of the Balkans, Volume I-II, Oxford University Press, 1995.
* Marko Kmezic, EU Rule of Law Conditionality: Democracy or Stabilitocracy Promotion in the Western Balkans, in Jelena Dzankic, Soeren Keil and Marko Kmezic (eds), The Europeanisation of the Western Balkans, Palgrave Maacmillan, 2019.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

1. Lecture seminars
2. Weekly readings
3. In-class discussions
4. Preparation of term paper proposal
5. Presentation of assignment in class
6. Preparation of term paper
7. Mid-term exam

Assessment Methods

Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

The students are expected

1. To understand the geopolitical and geostrategic importance of the Balkans
2. To be aware of the historical processes shaping the identities of Balkan nations
3. To understand how national identities and historical contexts in Balkan politics reflect in current inter-state relations
4. To analyze the political, economic, and social effects of global major powers' competition and cooperation in Balkan politics

Student responsibilities and scoring


There will be a mid-term exam. Students are obliged to prepare a term-paper as outlined below, which will be factored into the calculation of the final grade. Naturally, the quality of the content, form and style of the papers will considered during grading.

The instructor is very firm regarding the submission dealines for the proposal and research paper. Any transgression will impact the final grade.

The course is based on the reading and discussion of text and topics determined by the instructor, through perspecives offered in academic resources provided or recommended for students.

Students must submit a one-page proposal (approximately 500 words) outlining the topic of their research paper and the major theoretical or substantive issues to be examined. This proposal will help the professor assess progress and development, as well as provide feedback and support for the independent study. The research proposal must be submitted to the professor within 3 weeks.

Students are required to write a at least 3.000-word research paper, addressing the themes and topics of the course. This paper should be an original piece of research incorporating sources beyond those directly covered in class.

Students are expected to collaborate with the professor to produce a high-quality piece of academic work. The draft version the of the research paper must be submitted to the professor by the 10th class in the 10th week, after which students will begin presenting their work in class (of course the date may shift due the number of the students enrolled in the course).


There will also be 4 quizzes -to be announced a week prior to the class- at most after the mid-term exam. The number can change depending on the course and the content of the lectures.

As mentioned above, the term paper is to be assessed as final-exam, hence students are obliged to submit their final form in the announced final-exam date.

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. Learners should complete course readings before the class for which they are assigned.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

nazif.mandaci@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

To be announced later.

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes