EUROPEAN UNION RELATIONS
Bachelor TR-NQF-HE: Level 6 QF-EHEA: First Cycle EQF-LLL: Level 6

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code Course Name Semester Theoretical Practical Credit ECTS
POL3315 Political Thought I Spring 3 0 3 7
This catalog is for information purposes. Course status is determined by the relevant department at the beginning of semester.

Basic information

Language of instruction: English
Type of course: Departmental Elective
Course Level: Bachelor’s Degree (First Cycle)
Mode of Delivery: Hybrid
Course Coordinator : Assoc. Prof. ESRA ALBAYRAKOĞLU
Recommended Optional Program Components: None
Course Objectives: This course is the first part of the investigation into the history of 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 first part of the course, the answers provided to these questions until modernity will be evaluated through a close reading of the texts, which have been decisive in the formation of an accumulation of knowledge in the area of political thought.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
The students who have succeeded in this course;
1. Identify the fundamental concepts and questions of Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman, Medieval political thought and early modern European political theory;
2. Explain the answers provided to these questions by important thinkers;
3. Discuss the continuity and change in the definition of these concepts over time;
4. Consider critical perspectives on the Global North-centric and androcentric perspectives while assessing ongoing approaches in the history of political thought;
5. Evaluate the relevance of these questions for modern political life.

Course Content

Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman political thought (Socrates, Plato, Aristoteles, Cicero), Medieval political thought (St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Al-Farabi, Ibn Khaldun), Early Modern (Machiavelli), Social Contract tradition and revisions (Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Carole Pateman & Charles Mills).

Weekly Detailed Course Contents

Week Subject Related Preparation
1) Introduction
2) How to Study the History of Political Thought & Ancient Political Thought Skinner, Q. (1972). Motives, intentions and the interpretation of texts. New literary history, 3(2), 393-408. Babb, J. (2018). “2. The foundational thinkers (600-400 BCE). A World History of Political Thought. Edward Elgar Publishing. “How Should We Study the History of Political Thought”, In Coleman, J. (2000). A history of political thought (Vol. 1). Oxford: Blackwell, 13-20. Smith, Steven B. 2000. “Political Science and Political Philosophy: An Uneasy Relation.” PS: Political Science & Politics 33 (2): 189–91.
3) Ancient Athenian Democracy & Socrates’ Investigation & Platonic Utopia “Crito”, In Cooper, J. M., & Hutchinson, D. S. (Eds.). (1997). Plato: complete works. Hackett Publishing. “Book I” and “Book VII”, In Cooper, J. M., & Hutchinson, D. S. (Eds.). (1997). Plato: complete works. Hackett Publishing. “Apology”, In Cooper, J. M., & Hutchinson, D. S. (Eds.). (1997). Plato: complete works. Hackett Publishing. “Plato”, In Roberts, Peri and Sutch, Peter. (2012) An Introduction to Political Thought. Edinburgh University Press.
4) Aristotle’s Politics “Book I” and “Book III”, In Reeve, C. D. C. (1998). Aristotle: Politics. Indianapolis: Hackett. “Aristotle”, In Roberts, Peri and Sutch, Peter. (2012) An Introduction to Political Thought. Edinburgh University Press.
5) Roman Political Thought Atkins, J. (2018) “Chapter I The Roman Constitution in Theory and Practice” in Roman Political Thought. Cambridge University Press. Atkins, J. (2018) “Liberty and Related Concepts” in Roman Political Thought. Cambridge University Press. Coleman, J. (2000) “Cicero’s Rome and Cicero’s Republic” in History of Political Thought. Wiley-Blackwell.
6) Religion and Politics: Early and Late Medieval Period “Book Eleventh”, in The City of God. (St. Augustine). https://www.gutenberg.org/files/45304/45304-h/45304-h.htm “The Virtuous City” (aphs. 57-67), In The political writings:" Selected aphorisms" and other texts. Cornell University Press, 2015 (al-Farabi). “Introduction” in Bowering, G. (Ed.). (2015). Islamic political thought: An introduction. Princeton University Press, pp. 2-23. “St Augustine”, “Thomas Aquinas” In Boucher, D., & Kelly, P. (Eds.). (2017). Political thinkers: from Socrates to the present. Oxford University Press.
7) Midterm
8) Transitions to Modernity: Ibn Khaldun & Niccolò Machiavelli Khaldun, I. (2015). The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History-Abridged Edition. Princeton University Press, Chapter III (1-15). Machiavelli, N. (2009). Discourses on Livy. University of Chicago Press, pp. 7-14. Machiavelli, N. (2005). The Prince, trans. P. Bondanella, pp. 7-30. “Machiavelli”, In Boucher, D., & Kelly, P. (Eds.). (2017). Political thinkers: from Socrates to the present. Oxford University Press.
9) Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan “Of Commonwealth”, In Hobbes, T. (1996). Leviathan (ed. JCA Gaskin) Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 111-131. “Hobbes”, In Boucher, D., & Kelly, P. (Eds.). (2017). Political thinkers: from Socrates to the present. Oxford University Press.
10) Enlightenment & Liberty: John Locke “Second Treatise”, In Locke, J. (2003). Two Treatises on Government, edited by Ian Shapiro, pp. 100-121. “Locke”, In Boucher, D., & Kelly, P. (Eds.). (2017). Political thinkers: from Socrates to the present. Oxford University Press.
11) Jean Jacques Rousseau and His Republican Project “Social Contract”, In Rousseau, J. J., & May, G. (2002). The social contract: And, the first and second discourses. Yale University Press, pp. 155-169. “Rousseau”, In Boucher, D., & Kelly, P. (Eds.). (2017). Political thinkers: from Socrates to the present. Oxford University Press.
12) Social Contract: Tradition, Revival and Revisions Pateman, C. (1988) “Patriarchal Confusions” in The Sexual Contract. Stanford University Press. Mills, C. (1999) “Introduction” in The Racial Contract. Cornell University Press. “CHAPTER THREE – Historical: Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau”, In Roberts, Peri and Sutch, Peter. (2012) An Introduction to Political Thought. Edinburgh University Press.
13) ROLEPLAY DEBATE
14) GENERAL EVALUATION
14) REVISION & Q/A SESSION

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks: Weekly readings will be uploaded on ItsLearning at the beginning of the semester. Please note that all book chapters and articles listed on the syllabus are also accessible through the BAU Library.
The PPT files will be shared on ItsLearning following each class.
References: Guidelines on assignments and the roleplay debate will be uploaded on Itslearning at the beginning of the semester.

Evaluation System

Semester Requirements Number of Activities Level of Contribution
Homework Assignments 2 % 10
Presentation 1 % 20
Midterms 1 % 30
Final 1 % 40
Total % 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK % 60
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK % 40
Total % 100

ECTS / Workload Table

Activities Number of Activities Workload
Course Hours 12 36
Study Hours Out of Class 12 116
Presentations / Seminar 1 3
Homework Assignments 2 16
Midterms 1 2
Final 1 2
Total Workload 175

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

No Effect 1 Lowest 2 Low 3 Average 4 High 5 Highest
           
Program Outcomes Level of Contribution
1) To be able to examine, interpret data and assess ideas with the scientific methods in the area of EU studies. 3
2) To be able to inform authorities and institutions in the area of EU studies, to be able to transfer ideas and proposals supported by quantitative and qualitative data about the problems. 3
3) To be introduced to and to get involved in other disciplines that EU studies are strongly related with (political science, international relations, law, economics, sociology, etc.) and to be able to conduct multi-disciplinary research and analysis on European politics. 3
4) To be able to evaluate current news on European Union and Turkey-EU relations and identify, analyze current issues relating to the EU’s politics and policies. 3
5) To be able to use English in written and oral communication in general and in the field of EU studies in particular. 3
6) To have ethical, social and scientific values throughout the processes of collecting, interpreting, disseminating and implementing data related to EU studies. 2
7) To be able to assess the historical development, functioning of the institutions and decision-making system and common policies of the European Union throughout its economic and political integration in a supranational framework. 2
8) To be able to evaluate the current legal, financial and institutional changes that the EU is going through. 2
9) To explain the dynamics of enlargement processes of the EU by identifying the main actors and institutions involved and compare previous enlargement processes and accession process of Turkey. 2
10) To be able to analyze the influence of the EU on political, social and economic system of Turkey. 2
11) To acquire insight in EU project culture and to build up project preparation skills in line with EU format and develop the ability to work in groups and cooperate with peers. 2
12) To be able to recognize theories and concepts used by the discipline of international relations and relate them to the historical development of the EU as a unique post-War political project. 2