POL4992 Honors SeminarBahçeşehir UniversityDegree Programs PSYCHOLOGYGeneral Information For StudentsDiploma SupplementErasmus Policy StatementNational QualificationsBologna Commission
PSYCHOLOGY
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
POL4992 Honors Seminar Spring 3 0 3 6
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: Non-Departmental Elective
Course Level: Bachelor’s Degree (First Cycle)
Mode of Delivery: Hybrid
Course Coordinator : Assoc. Prof. ESRA ALBAYRAKOĞLU
Course Lecturer(s): Prof. Dr. YILMAZ ESMER
Recommended Optional Program Components: None
Course Objectives: POL4992 course highlights the central issues in political culture literature. Some of the central themes that the course will cover are civic culture, democratic political culture, civic virtue and cultural change. It starts with major theoretical approaches in the political culture literature. The course aims to address the following questions: How the norms and values known as political culture created and how can we can study and measure the political culture? What is the relationship between economic development and democracy? How are political institutions and democracy interrelated?
The course also addresses the determinants of political participation. It discusses the main factors that can explain why the political attitudes and political support towards democracy varies between different cultural contexts. Different types of political communities will be examined. The course will make a comparative analysis of different regions of the world with respect to their elements of political culture.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
The students who have succeeded in this course;
I. Understand major theories of Political Culture
II. Acquire the ability to understand the findings of Political Culture research
III. Attain competence to comprehend public opinion research
IV. Possess the ability to make in-depth readings of the major political science works
V. Compare different approaches to political culture literature
VI. Compare political attitudes towards democracy and political regimes in different regions of the world
VII. Possess the ability to formulate a research question on a relevant topic and to conduct a research study.

VIII. Preparation and presentation of a research paper

Course Content

1st Week: General Framework for the analysis of Democratic Political Culture I
2nd Week: General Framework for the analysis of Democratic Political Culture II
3rd Week: Civic Culture
4th Week: Political support
5th Week: Civic virtues
6th Week: Types of Political Communities I- Islamic Culture
7th Week: Types of Political Communities II-Islamic Culture vis-à-vis Western Cultures
8th Week: Midterm
9th Week: Development of Democratic Political Culture I – Modernization and Cultural Change
10th Week: Development of Democratic Political Culture II- Cultural Change and Political Institutions
11th Week: Political Culture Research – Public Opinion Polls: Regions I, Western Europe and North America
12th Week: Political Culture Research – Public Opinion Polls: Regions II, Latin America, Southern Europe
13th Week: Political Culture Research – Public Opinion Polls: Regions II, Post-communist societies, Post-USSR vs. Eastern Europe
14th Week: General overview of the semester

Weekly Detailed Course Contents

Week Subject Related Preparation
1) General Framework for the analysis of Democratic Political Culture
2) Civic Culture
3) Political support
4) Civic virtues
5) Types of Political Communities I- Islamic Culture
6) Types of Political Communities II-Islamic Culture vis-à-vis Western Cultures
7) Project Delivery
8) Development of Democratic Political Culture I – Modernization and Cultural Change
9) Development of Democratic Political Culture II- Cultural Change and Political Institutions
10) Political Culture Research – Public Opinion Polls. I. Region : Western Europe and North America
11) Political Culture Research – Public Opinion Polls: Regions II, Latin America, Southern Europe
12) Political Culture Research – Public Opinion Polls: Regions III, Post-communist societies, Post-USSR vs. Eastern Europe
13) Political culture in Turkey
14) General overview of the semester

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks: Lane Crothers and Charles Lockhart (eds.). 2000. Culture and Politics. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
References: Weekly assigned readings / Haftalık okumalar

Evaluation System

Semester Requirements Number of Activities Level of Contribution
Attendance 13 % 10
Project 1 % 40
Final 1 % 50
Total % 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK % 10
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK % 90
Total % 100

ECTS / Workload Table

Activities Number of Activities Workload
Course Hours 13 39
Study Hours Out of Class 13 83
Project 13 26
Final 1 2
Total Workload 150

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 develop an interest in the human mind and behavior, to be able to evaluate theories using empirical findings, to understand that psychology is an evidence-based science by acquiring critical thinking skills.
2) To gain a biopsychosocial perspective on human behavior. To understand the biological, psychological, and social variables of behavior.
3) To learn the basic concepts in psychology and the theoretical and practical approaches used to study them (e.g. basic observation and interview techniques).
4) To acquire the methods and skills to access and write information using English as the dominant language in the psychological literature, to recognize and apply scientific research and data evaluation techniques (e.g. correlational, experimental, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, case studies).
5) To be against discrimination and prejudice; to have ethical concerns while working in research and practice areas.
6) To recognize the main subfields of psychology (experimental, developmental, clinical, cognitive, social and industrial/organizational psychology) and their related fields of study and specialization.
7) To acquire the skills necessary for analyzing, interpreting and presenting the findings as well as problem posing, hypothesizing and data collection, which are the basic elements of scientific studies.
8) To gain the basic knowledge and skills necessary for psychological assessment and evaluation.
9) To acquire basic knowledge of other disciplines (medicine, genetics, biology, economics, sociology, political science, communication, philosophy, anthropology, literature, law, art, etc.) that will contribute to psychology and to use this knowledge in the understanding and interpretation of psychological processes.
10) To develop sensitivity towards social problems; to take responsibility in activities that benefit the field of psychology and society.
11) To have problem solving skills and to be able to develop the necessary analytical approaches for this.
12) To be able to criticize any subject in business and academic life and to be able to express their thoughts.