| Course Objectives: |
This course is the second part of the investigation into the history of Western political thought. Since the time of Socrates, philosophers have asked fundamental questions regarding the nature of justice, the good life, the role of the state, political regimes, citizenship, freedom, law, and the relationship between these concepts. In this second part of the course, the emergence of modern political concepts, such as the state, the nation, individual rights, civil society, etc will be examined. The controversies and shifts in the understanding and reception of these political concepts will be discussed through a close reading of the seminal texts of the modern Western political philosophy by, among others, Locke, Kant, and Marx with the aim of situating them in the context of Western canon. |
| Course Content: |
Modern European political theorists (Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill, Mary Wollstonecraft, Alexis de Tocqueville, Immanuel Kant, Georg Willhelm Friedrich Hegel Karl Marx) and 20th century political thought (Max Weber, Hannah Arendt, Michel Foucault, Edward Said, John Rawls & Jürgen Habermas). |
| Week |
Subject |
Related Preparation |
| 1) |
Introduction |
|
| 2) |
Alexis de Tocqeuville |
De Tocqueville, A. (1840) “The Author’s Preface” & “Unlimited Power of the Majority in the United States, and its Consequences” in Democracy in America. Available at https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/de-tocqueville/democracy-america/ |
| 3) |
Jeremy Bentham & John Stuart Mill |
Bentham, J. (1789) “Of the Principle of Utility”, in An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation.
Mill, J. S. (1859) Selection from On Liberty.
|
| 4) |
Mary Wollstonecraft |
Mill, J. S. (1869) “Chapter I: The question can be raised”, in The Subjection of Women. Available at: https://www.earlymoderntexts.com/assets/pdfs/mill1869.pdf.
Wollstonecraft, M. (1792) "Some Instances of the Folly Which the Ignorance of Women Generates…", in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.
|
| 5) |
Immanuel Kant |
Kant, I. (1784) “Answering the Question: What is Enlightenment?”
Kant, I. (1795) “Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch”.
|
| 6) |
Georg Willhelm Friedrich Hegel |
Hegel, G.W.F. (1820) “Introduction” in Philosophy of Right. Available at https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/hegel/works/pr/printrod.htm |
| 7) |
Karl Marx |
Marx, K. (1875) “Critique of the Gotha Programme”.
Marx, K. & Engels, F. (1848) “Manifesto of the Communist Party”.
|
| 8) |
MIDTERM EXAM |
|
| 9) |
Max Weber |
Weber, M. (1905) “Religious affiliation and social stratification”, in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism”.
Weber, M. (1919) “Politics as a Vocation”.
|
| 10) |
Hannah Arendt |
Arendt, H. (1958) “Vita Activa and the Human Condition” in The Human Condition.
Arendt, H. (1951) “Ideology and Terror. A Novel Form of Government” in The Origins of Totalitarianism.
|
| 11) |
Michel Foucault |
Foucault, M. (1975) “Docile Bodies” in Discipline and Punish.
Foucault, M. (1984) “Governmentality”.
|
| 12) |
Edward Said |
Said, E. (1978) “The Scope of Orientalism” in Orientalism. Available at: https://sites.evergreen.edu/politicalshakespeares/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2014/12/Said_full.pdf
|
| 13) |
Contemporary thinkers: John Rawls & Jürgen Habermas |
Rawls, J. (1971). “The main idea of the theory of justice” in A Theory of Justice.
Habermas, J. (1991). “Introduction: Preliminary Demarcation of a Type of Bourgeois Public Sphere” in Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere.
|
| 14) |
General Evaluation |
|
| |
Program Outcomes |
Level of Contribution |
| 1) |
Grasp basic theoretical and conceptual knowledge about the field and relations between them at the level of practice. |
5 |
| 2) |
Possess basic knowledge about the causes and effects of political transformations in societies. |
5 |
| 3) |
Possess knowledge about quantitative, qualitative and mixed research methods in social and behavioral sciences. |
|
| 4) |
Recognize historical patterns while evaluating contemporary political and social developments. |
5 |
| 5) |
Demonstrate interdisciplinary and critical approach while analyzing, synthesizing and forecasting domestic and foreign policy. |
2 |
| 6) |
Conduct studies in the field professionally, both independently or as a team member. |
3 |
| 7) |
Possess consciousness about lifelong learning based on Research & Development. |
3 |
| 8) |
Communicate with peers both orally and in writing, by using a foreign language at least at a level of European Language Portfolio B1 General Level and the necessary informatics and communication technologies. |
5 |
| 9) |
Apply field-related knowledge and competences into career advancement, projects for sustainable development goals, and social responsibility initiatives. |
2 |
| 10) |
Possess the habit to monitor domestic and foreign policy agenda as well as international developments. |
3 |
| 11) |
Possess competence to interpret the new political actors, theories and concepts in a global era. |
5 |
| 12) |
Evaluate the legal and ethical implications of advanced technologies on politics. |
4 |
BAHÇEŞEHİR UNIVERSITY BİLGİ PAKETİ / DERS KATALOĞU
