PSIR 553 | Course Introduction and Application Information - Political Science and International Relations (Without thesis)

Course Name

Minority Politics

Code	Semester	Theory (hour/week)	Application/Lab (hour/week)	Local Credits	ECTS
PSIR 553	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)	Doç. Dr. Alexander BUERGIN
Assistant(s)	-

Course Objectives	By the end of this course, the students are expected to be able to identify, analyse and evaluate aspects concerning various developments in the legal status and treatment of minorities around the world and specifically in Europe.
Learning Outcomes	The students who succeeded in this course; discuss the source of minority rights in international law, the world and European politics identify the role of various actors (United Nations, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Council of Europe, EC/EU) in the promotion of minority rights in the world and Europe describe the conceptual particularities concerning minorities, religious/racial/linguistic/ethnic minorities, individual and community rights differentiate between minority policies and minority (inter-ethnic) politics produce analytical approaches in individual research projects (IRPs) to specific aspects of minority politics based on the theoretical knowledge accumulated throughout the course explain the role of selected ethnic minority groups in the promotion of minority politics (e.g. Albanians in FYROM, Hungarians in Romania; Kurds in Turkey; Scots in Britain; Catalans and others in Spain )
Course Description	The course refines the students’ training in political science and international relations through the analytical exploration of minority politics with a focus on European developments. That is mainly because the emergence and subsequent evolution of minority rights cannot be separated from the modern European political history. The two World Wars in particular have marked the evolution of European states and of their understanding of ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities. As a result, Europe represents nowadays a space where inter-ethnic politics has become highly complex, with international organisations such as the Council of Europe, OSCE and the EU being deeply involved. The students are expected to (1) read the assignments, (2) participate in seminars (3) present individual research projects, and (4) write analytical essays on the individual research projects (IRPs).

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

Week	Subjects	Related Preparation
1	Introduction – syllabus presentation and explanation	Syllabus and documents containing rules for the undertaking and evaluation of students’ analytical work
2	The ‘Problem of Minorities’: Minority Rights within the Context of Human Rights Regimes - Discussion about the individual research project (IRP)	JACKSON PREECE, Jennifer, 2005. Minority Rights. Cambridge: Polity Press, section 1.
3	The ‘Problem of Minorities’: Minority Rights within the Context of Human Rights Regimes - Discussion about the individual research project (IRP)	JACKSON PREECE, Jennifer, 2005. Minority Rights. Cambridge: Polity Press, section 1.
4	Minority Rights: Religion - Seminar	JACKSON PREECE, Jennifer, 2005. Minority Rights. Cambridge: Polity Press, section 2.
5	Minority Rights: Race - Seminar	JACKSON PREECE, Jennifer, 2005. Minority Rights. Cambridge: Polity Press, section 3.
6	Minority Rights: Language - Seminar	JACKSON PREECE, Jennifer, 2005. Minority Rights. Cambridge: Polity Press, section 4.
7	Minority Rights: Ethnicity - Seminar	JACKSON PREECE, Jennifer, 2005. Minority Rights. Cambridge: Polity Press, section 5. FREEMAN, Michael, 2002. Human Rights. Cambridge: Polity Press, Chapter 6, section “Minority Rights”.
8	Beyond the “Problem of Minorities”? Toward Minority Politics - Seminar	JACKSON PREECE, Jennifer, 2005. Minority Rights. Cambridge: Polity Press, section 6.
9	From Minority Policies and Rights under the Consensus of National Sovereignty to the Time of Minority Politics - Seminar	Instructor’s notes. - MANNING, Erin, 2004. ‘Time for Politics’. In: EDKINS J, PIN-FAT V and SHAPIRO MJ (eds) Sovereign Lives: Power in Global Politics. New York and London: Routledge, pp. 61-78.
10	Minority (inter-ethnic) Politics: Autonomy - Seminar	TKACIC, Michael, 2008. ‘Characteristics of Forms of Autonomy’. International Journal on Minority & Group Rights, 15(2/3), 369-401.
11	Minority (inter-ethnic) Politics: the Devolution of Sovereignty (UK) - ORAL PRESENTATIONS OF THE IRPs	MUNRO, Colin R., 1999. ‘Scottish Devolution: Accommodating a Restless Nation’. International Journal on Minority & Group Rights, 6(1/2), 97-119. - Selected bibliography for the IRPs.
12	Minority (inter-ethnic) Politics: the Devolution of Sovereignty (Spain) - ORAL PRESENTATIONS OF THE IRPs	KEATING, Michael, 2000. ‘The Minority Nations of Spain and European Integration: A New Framework for Autonomy?’ Journal of Spanish Cultural Studies, 1(1), 29-42. - Selected bibliography for the IRPs.
13	Minority (inter-ethnic) Politics: Inter-ethnic Relations of Equality (FYROM, Romania, Turkey) - ORAL PRESENTATIONS OF THE IRPs	Instructor’s notes. - Selected bibliography for the IRPs.
14	Equality (FYROM, Romania, Turkey) - Seminar	Instructor’s notes.
15	Review and final preparation of the individual research project (IRP)
16	Review of the Semester

Course Notes/Textbooks

Books and journal articles (see above), power point presentations.

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

Suggested Readings/Materials

Databases from various relevant international organisations (e.g. European Commission, European Parliament, UN, OSCE); relevant local, European and world news sources (e.g. BBC, Reuters, France Press, Deutsche Welle, Financial Times, EUobserver.com, BalkanInsight.com, Anadolu Ajansı, Hürriyet Daily News, Minorityrights.org).

Semester Activities	Number	Weigthing
Participation	1	10
Laboratory / Application
Field Work
Quizzes / Studio Critiques
Portfolio
Homework / Assignments
Presentation / Jury	1	20
Project
Seminar / Workshop	1	30
Oral Exams
Midterm
Final Exam	1	40
Total

Weighting of Semester Activities on the Final Grade	3	60
Weighting of End-of-Semester Activities on the Final Grade	1	40
Total

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	13	7	91
Field Work			0
Quizzes / Studio Critiques			0
Portfolio			0
Homework / Assignments			0
Presentation / Jury	1	35	35
Project			0
Seminar / Workshop	1	20	20
Oral Exam			0
Midterms			0
Final Exam	1	31	31
		Total	225

#	Program Competencies/Outcomes	* Contribution Level
#	Program Competencies/Outcomes	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

GRADUATE SCHOOL

Political Science and International Relations (Without thesis)

PSIR 553 | Course Introduction and Application Information

WEEKLY SUBJECTS AND RELATED PREPARATION STUDIES

EVALUATION SYSTEM

ECTS / WORKLOAD TABLE

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES AND PROGRAM QUALIFICATIONS RELATIONSHIP