COURSE UNIT TITLE

Offered By

International Relations (English)

Level of Course Unit

First Cycle Programmes (Bachelor's Degree)

Course Coordinator

PROFESSOR DOCTOR MÜGE AKNUR

Offered to

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

Course Objective

The main purpose of this course is to engage the learners in critical discussions on those topics and academic debates that are currently ongoing in the field of comparative politics and political science. In this context, the course will concentrate on state and state formation, nations and nationalism, democratization and democratic consolidation, persistence of authoritarianism and populism and rise of populist radikal right parties.

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

1.Michael Sodaro, Comparative Politics, A Global Introduction, New York: McGraw Hill, 2008. (power point slides provided by the instructor)
2. Mark I. Lichbach & Alan S. Zuckerman, "Research Traditions and Theory in Comparative Politics: An Introduction," in Comparative Politics, Rationality, Culture and Structure, eds., Mark I. Lichbach & Alan S. Zuckerman, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997.
3. Sabri Sayarı & Hasret Dikici Bilgin, "Karşılaştırmalı Siyaset Alanının Gelişimi" in Karşılaştırmalı Siyaset, Temel Konular ve Yaklaşımlar, eds., Sabri Sayarı & Hasret Dikici Bilgin, Istanbul: Istanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları, 2014, pp. 6-10.
4. Michael Roskin et. al., Political Science: An Introduction, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2006, pp. 26-34.
5. Kenneth Newton & Jan W. Van Deth, Foundations of Comparative Politics, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
6. Patrick H. O Neil, Essentials of Comparative Politics, New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2010
7. http://www.fundforpeace.org/global/ q=indicators
8. Patrick H. O Neil, Essentials of Comparative Politics, New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2010, Chapter 3: Nations and Society, pp. 47-57.
9. Andrew Heywood, Political Theory: An Introduction, New York: Palgrave-MacMillan, 2004, pp. 89-119.
10. Ernest Gellner, "Nationalism and Modernization," pp. 55-63; Ernest Gellner, "Nationalism and High Cultures." pp. 63-70; Eric Hobsbawn, "The Nation as Invented Tradition," pp. 76-82; Benedict Anderson, "Imagined Communities," pp. 89-96 in Nationalism, eds., John Hutchinson and Anthony Smith, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994. (power point slides provided by the instructor)
11. Phillippe C. Schmitter and Terry Lynn Karl, "What Democracy Is And Is Not ," Journal of Democracy 2,3 (1991), pp. 75-88.
12. Yunus Sözen, Siyasi Rejimler: Demokrasiler ve Diğer Sistemler, in Karşılaştırmalı Siyaset: Temel Konular ve Yaklaşımlar, eds., Sabri Sayarı & Hasret Dikici, Istanbul: Istanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları, 2014, pp. 56-64
13. Wolfgang Merkel, "Embedded and Defective Democracies," Democratization, 11, 5 (2004), pp. 33-58.
14. Freedom in the World 2024, Freedom House Report
15. Sarah Repucci & Amy Slipowitz, Global Expansion of Authoritarian Rule Freedom in the World 2022, Freedom House.
16. Larry Diamond, Democratic regression in Comparative Perspective: Scope, Methods, and Causes, Democratization, 28:1, (2021), pp. 22-42.
17. Cas Mudde and Cristóbal Rovira Kaltwasser, Populism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017)
18.Müge Aknur & Ibrahim Saylan, Batı Avrupa da Populist Radikal Sağ Partiler, Istanbul: Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık, 2021.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

1, Lecture
2. Presenting papers (Group or Individual)
3. Writing papers (Group or individual)
3. Exams

Assessment Methods

Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

1. The learner will describe and explain current issues and debates of comparative politics and political science.
2. The learner will critically analyze current issues and debates.
3. The learner will use IT knowledge to prepare presentations.
4. The learner will be able to express views in a clear, precise and self-confident manner.
5. The learner will be able to make critical arguments based on an analytical framework.
6. The learner will use library and internet sources


The rating scale that will be used in the evaluation of the presentations:

Subject knowledge and ability to respond to questions: demonstrate detailed knowledge about the subject chosen for research and possess the ability to effectively respond to the questions (30 points). No grasp of the subject and no ability to respond to the questions with respect to the conducted research Poor (0 %).Uncomfortable with the subject and ability to respond to the questions weakly and poorly possessed Fair (40%).Ease with the subject and ability to respond to the questions sufficiently possessed but lacking a clear and analytical vision Good (60%).Very good knowledge of the subject and ability to respond to the questions well-possessed with a clear and analytical vision Very good (80%).Excellent knowledge of the subject and ability to respond to the questions professionally-possessed with a clear and analytical vision Excellent (100%).

Organization and coherence of the content: provide an organized and coherent analysis of the conducted research (25 points).Lacks organization and coherence of the content Poor (0%).Organization and coherence of the content weakly and poorly established Fair (40%).Organization and coherence of the content established but lacking a full coverage of the subject Good (60%).Organization and coherence of the content sufficiently established, fully covering the subject Very good (80%).Organization and coherence of the content professionally established fully covering the subject Excellent (100%).

Literature review: provide a comprehensive literature review by making use of both national and international resources for the research conducted (25 points). No literature review with regard to the study conducted Poor (0%).Literature review weakly and poorly provided Fair (40%).Literature review sufficiently provided but lacking a comprehensive conduct Good (60%).Literature review well-provided with a comprehensive research Very good (80%).Literature review professionally provided with an in-depth research Excellent (100%).

Design of the slides and effective use of variables, images and other details: provide well-designed slides supported by relevant variables, images and other details (10 points).Use of superfluous slides or no slides Poor (0%).Poor slides design and occasional use of variables, images and other details Fair (40%).Sufficient slides design including variables, images and other details Good (60%).Very good slides design supported by variables, images and other details Very good (80%).Well-designed slides effectively supported by variables, images and other details Excellent (100%).

Time management: present conducted research within the allocated time (10 points).Lacks time management Poor (0%).Fair time management Fair (40%).Good time management Good (60%).Very good time management Very good (80%).Excellent time management Excellent (100%).

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 mandatory.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

muge.aknur@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

TBA.

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes