Department of International Relations

History of Political Thought II(RI202)

Course Code Course Name Semester Theory Practice Lab Credit ECTS
RI202 History of Political Thought II 4 3 3 0 3 4
Prerequisites
Admission Requirements
Language of Instruction
Course Type Compulsory
Course Level Bachelor Degree
Course Instructor(s) Tolga BİLENER tbilener@gmail.com (Email)
Assistant
Objective This course focuses on describing the main schools of thought and the
fundamentals works that provide the references and concepts of political reflection from the French Revolution to contemporary times. It discusses the
reflections of the great authors, thinkers and practitioners of political life, as well as
cardinal notions related to the exercise of power: sources of legitimacy, organization
and the ends of power. If the history of political ideas is necessarily interested in
political theories, it also aims to demonstrate the complexity of their
conditions of production, circulation and dissemination in society. She enlightens
political and social uses, since political statements are never detached
of the concrete reality of the exercise of power
Content Cf. Weekly Plan
Course Learning Outcomes The students will be able to,
1. Understand modern political thinking from the Enlightenment to today
2. Apprehend the socio-economic and political conditions of the emergence of political thinking
3. Comprehend how political thinking is used in political practice
Teaching and Learning Methods Presentations, Q&A, Discussion
References This course focuses on describing the main schools of thought and the works
fundamentals that provide the references and concepts of political reflection to
from the French Revolution to contemporary times. He discusses the
reflections of the great authors, thinkers and practitioners of political life, as well as
cardinal notions related to the exercise of power: sources of legitimacy, organization
and the ends of power. If the history of political ideas is necessarily interested in
political theories, it also aims to demonstrate the complexity of their
conditions of production, circulation and dissemination in society. She enlightens
political and social uses, since political statements are never detached
of the concrete reality of the exercise of power
Print the course contents
Theory Topics
Week Weekly Contents
1 Introduction
2 The Enlightenment: Montesquieu
3 The Enlightenment: Diderot, Voltaire, Rousseau
4 End of History or Universal History: Hegel and Kant
5 The Birth of America: from Thomas Paine to A. de Tocqueville
6 New Economy, New Political Dynamics: from Saint-Simon to Marx
7 Chinese political thought: from Mao to Xi
8 Decolonization and the Sub-continent: Jennah, Gandhi, Nehru, Majumdar
9 The Banality of Evil (Hannah Arendt) and Human Dignity: Evolution of the human rights philosophy (Ex. Development of the Rights of Disabled Persons)
10 How to create a state: Sionism from utopia to reality
11 Political thinking in the Arab World: Panarabism, Nasserism, Muslim Brotherhood
12 Anti-occident or Extra-occident: Eurasianism according to A. Dugin
13 The return of populism: from Peron to Orban
14 General assesment
Practice Topics
Week Weekly Contents
Contribution to Overall Grade
  Number Contribution
Contribution of in-term studies to overall grade 1 50
Contribution of final exam to overall grade 1 50
Toplam 2 100
In-Term Studies
  Number Contribution
Assignments 0 0
Presentation 0 0
Midterm Examinations (including preparation) 1 40
Project 0 0
Laboratory 0 0
Other Applications 0 0
Quiz 4 10
Term Paper/ Project 0 0
Portfolio Study 0 0
Reports 0 0
Learning Diary 0 0
Thesis/ Project 0 0
Seminar 0 0
Other 0 0
Toplam 5 50
No Program Learning Outcomes Contribution
1 2 3 4 5
1 To have a detailed knowledge on the principal concepts, actors and components of the international system X
2 To master the fundamentals such as history, law, economics, sociology and political science required by the multidisciplinary nature of International Relations X
3 Pouvoir analyser la pratique à partir d’une infrastructure théorique assimilée X
4 To have acquired the capability of specializing on a particular theme and/or region X
5 In the light of Galatasaray University’s traditional and institutional links with Europe, to have developed the ability to contribute to Turkey’s accession process to the EU in a concrete manner X
6 To interpret and explain Turkish foreign policy through its domestic components as well as from the perspective of the international system X
7 To have reached the necessary level of competence to be able to undertake a career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as other state institutions and/or the private sector X
8 Possess the required skills to work at various international organizations and NGOs X
9 To be in perfect command of French, teaching language of Galatasaray University, and of English, its mandatory language, at the academic -with a view to write a thesis/project/book in the field of International Relations- as well as the professional level X
10 To have the capacity to utilize the methodological instruments acquired throughout the studies at any conceptual and/or academic work X
Activities Number Period Total Workload
Class Hours 14 3 42
Working Hours out of Class 1 30 30
Midterm Examinations (including preparation) 1 15 15
Final Examinations (including preparation) 1 13 13
Total Workload 100
Total Workload / 25 4.00
Credits ECTS 4
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