GRADUATE SCHOOL

Political Science and International Relations (Without thesis)

PSIR 505 | Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Name
Political Theory
Code
Semester
Theory
(hour/week)
Application/Lab
(hour/week)
Local Credits
ECTS
PSIR 505
Fall/Spring
3
0
3
7.5

Prerequisites
None
Course Language
English
Course Type
Elective
Course Level
Second Cycle
Mode of Delivery -
Teaching Methods and Techniques of the Course -
Course Coordinator -
Course Lecturer(s)
Assistant(s)
Course Objectives This course is designed to introduce MA students to debates in political theory.
Learning Outcomes The students who succeeded in this course;
  • The students who succeeded in this course;
  • will be able to think critically about key ethical and political concepts/questions.
  • will be able to discuss central issues in political theory and practice from a variety of angles.
  • will be able to participate in group work through seminar presentations and class discussion.
  • will be able to evaluate critically theoretical disputes in political theory, political science and international relations.
  • wil be able to assess contemporary contributions to academic literature in the field of political theory.
Course Description This seminar course involves a critical investigation of the classic texts of political philosophy and aims to explore some of the central concepts and controversies in the history of political thought. The course is also intended to be accessible to graduate students at any level with an interest in political theory. To this end, the course will examine some primary texts from the history of political thought as avenues for understanding both key concepts of politics (such as justice, freedom, equality, democracy, citizenship) and some contemporary schools and approaches in the field of political theory (such as liberalism, republicanism, critical theory and hermeneutics).

 



Course Category

Core Courses
X
Major Area Courses
Supportive Courses
Media and Management Skills Courses
Transferable Skill Courses

 

WEEKLY SUBJECTS AND RELATED PREPARATION STUDIES

Week Subjects Related Preparation
1 Introduction: What is political theory? Leo Strauss, What is political philosophy? –and other studies. Chicago & London: The University of Chicago Press, 1959. [p.9-56].
2 Politics Carl Schmitt, The Concept of the Political, Chicago & London: University of Chicago Press, 2007. [p.19-79].
3 State and Political Obligations Hannah Arendt, Civil Disobedience. In “Crises of the Republic”, San Diego: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1972. [pp.49-102] *Suggested movie: Leviathan (2014), Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev.
4 Justice John Rawls, A Theory of Justice. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1971. [pp.3-22, 60-95].
5 Equality Ronald Dworkin, (a) Justice for Hedgehogs. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2011 [p. 1-19; 351-364]; (b) Sovereign Virtue. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2002. [p.1-15]. *Suggested movie: I, Daniel Blake (2016), Director: Ken Loach.
6 Liberty Isaiah Berlin, Two Concepts of Liberty [pp.167-217]
7 Rights Charles Beitz, The Idea of Human Rights. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. [p.1-26; 198-212] *Suggested movie: Selma (2014), Director: Ava DuVernay.
8 Democracy Jurgen Habermas, Between Facts and Norms. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1996. [Chapter7, pp.287-328]. *Suggested movie: 12 Angry Men (1957), Director: Sidney Lumet.
9 Identity, Tradition, Community Charles Taylor, The Politics of Recognition. In “Multiculturalism and the politics of recognition”, ed. Amy Gutmann. Princeton: Princeton University Press. [pp. 25-73] *Suggested movie: Dogville (2003), Director: Lars Von Trier.
10 Cosmopolitanism Immanuel Kant, Perpetual Peace. In “Kant: Political Writings”, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
11 Gender Susan Moller Okin, Justice, Gender and the Family. New York: Basic Books, 1989. [p.3-24; 170-186]
12 Constitutionalism Jeremy Waldron, Law and Disagreement. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2004. [Chapter 13, pp.282-312]
13 Concluding Remarks
14 Review of the Semester  
15 Review of the Semester  
16 Review of the Semester  

 

Course Notes/Textbooks

All course readings are available at the University Library and as open sources.

Suggested Readings/Materials

 

EVALUATION SYSTEM

Semester Activities Number Weigthing
Participation
1
10
Laboratory / Application
Field Work
Quizzes / Studio Critiques
Portfolio
Homework / Assignments
Presentation / Jury
3
90
Project
Seminar / Workshop
Oral Exams
Midterm
Final Exam
Total

Weighting of Semester Activities on the Final Grade
3
70
Weighting of End-of-Semester Activities on the Final Grade
1
30
Total

ECTS / WORKLOAD TABLE

Semester Activities Number Duration (Hours) Workload
Theoretical Course Hours
(Including exam week: 16 x total hours)
16
3
48
Laboratory / Application Hours
(Including exam week: '.16.' x total hours)
16
0
Study Hours Out of Class
12
8
96
Field Work
0
Quizzes / Studio Critiques
0
Portfolio
0
Homework / Assignments
0
Presentation / Jury
3
27
81
Project
0
Seminar / Workshop
0
Oral Exam
0
Midterms
0
Final Exam
0
    Total
225

 

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES AND PROGRAM QUALIFICATIONS RELATIONSHIP

#
Program Competencies/Outcomes
* Contribution Level
1
2
3
4
5
1 To improve theoretical and conceptual proficiencies on Political Science and International Relations and to ultimately deepen and develop intellectual interest X
2 To evaluate the relationships between factors in the field of Political Science and International Relations such as structures, actors, institutions and culture in a critical perspective X
3 To provide advanced competences to determine and question the theoretical and emprical gaps in Political Science and International Relations literature X
4 To identify the political and cultual conditions that generate discrimination mechanisms based on race, ethnic groups, gender and religion at national and international levels X
5 To provide competences to develop original arguments in order to fill the gaps in Political Science and International Relations literature X
6 To determine, collect, resolve, and interpret the data that would measure the theories and concepts as variables by using scientific research methods in Political Science and International Relations field X
7 To use confidently the terms and concepts of Political Science and International Relations X
8 To communicate systematically, in written, oral, and visual forms, contemporary developments in Political Science and International Relations to groups inside and outside the said discipline X
9 To take responsibility in an individual capacity and as part of a team in generating solutions to unexpected problems that arise in relation to politics in daily life X
10 To develop projects determining the institutional and political instruments for management of domestic and international conflicts X
11 To prepare an orginal thesis/term project about Political Science and International Relations in accordance with scentific criteria X
12 To design and carry out a scientific research project in the field of Political Science and International Relations X
13 To have ethical, social and scientific values in the stages throughout the processes of collecting, interpreting, disseminating and implementing data relevant to Political Science and International Relations X

*1 Lowest, 2 Low, 3 Average, 4 High, 5 Highest

 


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