Current Issues in World Politics

Program Type:

Thesis

Non Thesis

Course Code:

POLS 526

Course Type:

Elective

P:

3

Lab:

0

Credits:

3

ECTS:

8

Course Language:

English

Course Objectives:

This course is about the central issues that shape current world politics. The course is designed to generate familiarity with the contending approaches to the main issues and notions in world politics and/or in the discipline of International Relations. The primary aim of this course is to enable students to critically analyze different ways of thinking about contemporary world politics.

Course Content:

This course assumes a fundamental understanding of the main issues in world politics and in the discipline of International Relations, usually obtained in undergraduate study. It will thus focus on taking the students deeper into the issues and discussions currently faced in the field. In particular, it will look at the changes and continuities in world politics. Relatedly, while the course includes discussions about certain traditional issues (such as war, security, economy) and how they have evolved over time, it also introduces relatively new topics such as gender, race, and environment.

Teaching Methods:

1: Lecture, 2: Discussion based lecture, 3: Case study, 4: Small group work, 5: Seminar, 6: Group work, 7: Research paper, 8: Oral presentation/exam, 9: Survey, 10: Panel, 11: Guest speaker, 12: Activities within a Student Body or Research Project.

Assessment Methods:

A: Exam, B: Homework, C: Oral exam or presentation, D: Discussion.

Vertical Tabs

Course Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes	Program Learning Outcomes	Teaching Methods	Assessment Methods
a. recognize central topics in world politics;	1 ,2	1,2,3,8	A,B,C, D
b. distinguish the key authors of the topics;	1, 2, 6, 7	1,2,3,8	A,B,C, D
c. recognize key ideas shaping world politics;	1, 2, 7, 11, 13	1,2,3,8	A,B,C, D
d. express contending viewpoints of the topics studied;	4, 7, 8, 11	1,2,3,8	A,B,C,D
compare and contrast opposing arguments;	7, 8, 9, 13	1,2,3,8	A,B,C,D
f. defend a position based on the arguments of the authors studied.	4, 6, 8, 9	1,2,3,8	A,B,C,D

Course Flow

COURSE CONTENT
Week	Topics	Study Materials
1	Introduction to course	Syllabus
2	Globalization	Baylis, Smith, Owens, Chapter 1: Globalization and Global Politics
3	War	Baylis, Smith, Owens, Chapter 14: The Changing Character of War
4	Security	Baylis, Smith, Owens, Chapter 15: International and Global Security
5	Movie Screening and Debate	Hotel Rwanda (2004)
6	International Political Economy	Baylis, Smith, Owens, Chapter 16: International Political Economy in an Age of Globalization
7	MIDTERM EXAM	-
8	Nationalism	Baylis, Smith, Owens, Chapter 25: Nationalism
9	Humanitarian Intervention and Responsibility to Protect	Baylis, Smith, Owens, Chapter 31: Humanitarian Intervention in World Politics
10	Environment Movie Screening and Debate	Baylis, Smith, Owens, Chapter 22: Environmental Issues Before the flood (2016)
11	Poverty, Development, and Hunger	Baylis, Smith, Owens, Chapter 28: Poverty, Development, and Hunger
12	Gender	Baylis, Smith, Owens, Chapter 17: Gender in World Politics
13	Race	Vucetic, S. and Persaud, R. B. (2018) (This reading will be provided by the instructor)
14	Human Rights	Baylis, Smith, Owens, Chapter 30: Human Rights
15	Concluding Remarks

Recommended Sources

RECOMMENDED SOURCES

Textbook

BAYLIS, John, Steve SMITH and Patricia OWENS. 2014. The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, 6th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Additional Resources

Globalization: Scholte, J. A. 2005. Globalization: A Critical Introduction, 2nd edition. New York: Palgrave MacMillan.

War: Kaldor, M. 1999. New and Old Wars: Organised Violence in a Global Era. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Security: Buzan, B. and Hansen L. 2009. The Evolution of International Security Studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

IPE: Woods, N. 2006. The Globalizers: The IMF, the World Bank, and their Borrowers. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Nationalism: Hobsbawm, E. 1990. Nations and Nationalism since 1780: Programme, Myth, Reality. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Humanitarian Intervention: Wheeler, N. J. 2000. Saving Strangers: Humanitarian Intervention in International Society. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Environment: O’Neil, K. 2009. The Environment and International Relations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Poverty, hunger, and development: Thomas, C. 2000. Global Governance, Development and Human Security. London: Pluto.

Gender: Gentry, C. E., Shepherd L. J., and Sjoberg, L. (eds.). 2019. The Routledge Handbook of Gender and Security. London: Routledge.

Race: Persaud, R. B. and Sajed, A. (eds.). 2018. Race, Gender, and Culture in International Relations: Postcolonial Perspectives. London: Routledge.

Human rights: Bhambra, G. and Shilliam, R. (eds.). 2008. Silencing Human Rights Critical Engagements with a Contested Project. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Material Sharing

MATERIAL SHARING
Documents	University Library
Assignments	Getting prepared for discussion questions and presentations
Exams	Midterm, Final

Assessment

ASSESSMENT
IN-TERM STUDIES	NUMBER	PERCENTAGE
Mid-term	1	30
Discussion, presentation, homework	12	40
Total		70
CONTRIBUTION OF FINAL EXAMINATION TO OVERALL GRADE	1	30
CONTRIBUTION OF IN-TERM STUDIES TO OVERALL GRADE		70
Total		100

Course’s Contribution to Program

COURSE'S CONTRIBUTION TO PROGRAM
No	Program Learning Outcomes	Contribution
No	Program Learning Outcomes	1	2	3	4	5
1	To demonstrate the ability to specialize and expand knowledge in the fields of political science, international relations, comparative politics, Turkish politics and foreign policy.					x
2	The ability to comprehend the interdisciplinary quality of the political science and international relations discipline.					x
3	A command of basic research models and approaches of political science and international relations discipline and the ability to apply them in academic research and project design.	x
4	Having the ability to assess and interpret the different political and societal systems with an interdisciplinary approach.				x
5	Having a command of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods and abiding by the highest levels of academic and research ethics.	x
6	The ability to present and debate an issue that requires specialization in the field of political science and international relations. The ability to discuss this issue within an intellectual framework, and the ability to express oneself in a professional and academic manner.					x
7	The ability to analyze and critically evaluate basic research models, approaches and intellectual traditions in the field of political science, international relations.				x
8	The ability to utilize academic writing and presentation skills to projects, dissertations and articles.				x
9	Having advanced reading, writing, comprehension and speaking skills in the English language.				x
10	Having the ability to apply knowledge of political science and international relations discipline to information technologies and traditional tools so as to produce sound solutions to problems.	x
11	Possessing experience and social skills necessary for employment in the public and private sectors and/or being admitted to a competitive Ph.D. program.				x
12	Having empathy towards diverse and differing communities, which will facilitate conducing teamwork at local as well as global platforms.			x
13	Having competency of comprehending and interpreting local and global issues through information exchange with international academics and students.					x

ECTS

ECTS ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD BY THE COURSE DESCRIPTION
Activities	Quantity	Duration (Hour)	Total Workload (Hour)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	3	48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	16	5	80
Mid-terms	1	20	20
Homework and presentation	16	2	32
Final examination	1	20	20
Total Workload			200
Total Workload / 25 (h)			8
ECTS Credit of the Course			8

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