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BALKANS AND TURKEY PROGRAMME COURSE DESCRIPTION

Code Name of the Course Unit Semester In-Class Hours (T+P) Credit ECTS Credit
POL344 BALKANS AND TURKEY 5 3 3 5

GENERAL INFORMATION

Language of Instruction : English
Level of the Course Unit : BACHELOR'S DEGREE, TYY: + 6.Level, EQF-LLL: 6.Level, QF-EHEA: First Cycle
Type of the Course : Elective
Mode of Delivery of the Course Unit -
Coordinator of the Course Unit Prof. NEZİHA MUSAOĞLU
Instructor(s) of the Course Unit
Course Prerequisite No

OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTS

Objectives of the Course Unit: This course will analyze the main historical patterns and developments in the relations between Turkey and the Balkans.
Contents of the Course Unit: The bulk of our discussion will focus on political and economic relations since the end of the Cold War in 1991, however in the first three weeks of the course students will be introduced to general information on the long-lasting Ottoman rule on the Balkans and on early Republican Turkey’s policy toward the region

KEY LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE COURSE UNIT (On successful completion of this course unit, students/learners will or will be able to)

learn and critically think about the major historical issues in the relations between Turkey and different Balkan countries
debate Turkey's current role in the Balkans
critically evaluate the role and importance of the Balkans in Turkish foreign policy

WEEKLY COURSE CONTENTS AND STUDY MATERIALS FOR PRELIMINARY & FURTHER STUDY

Week Preparatory Topics(Subjects) Method
1 Week 1 (March 2) Introduction and general information on course requirements -
2 Week 2 (March 9) Historical Background: Ottoman rule in the Balkans – from the Battle of Kosovo (1389) to the Russo-Ottoman War (1877-78) -
3 Week 3 (March 16) Historical Background: Ottoman rule in the Balkans – from the Russo-Ottoman War (1878) to the Second Balkan War (1913) -
4 Week 4 (March 23) Early Republican Turkey’s policy toward the Balkans -
5 Week 5 (March 30) End of the Cold War and the shifting Turkish foreign policy (1990-2003) -
6 Week 6 (April 6) Turkish foreign policy toward the Bosnian and Kosovo Wars (1992-1999) -
7 Week 7 (April 12 – April 18) NO classes – MIDTERM EXAM WEEK -
8 - MID-TERM EXAM -
9 Week 9 (April 20) Turkish foreign policy toward the Balkans under the AKP (2002-2013) -
10 Week 10 (April 27) Turkish foreign policy toward the Balkans under the AKP (2013-present) -
11 Week 11 (May 4) Europeanization and its implications for Turkish foreign policy -
12 Week 12 (May 11) Turkish minority in the Balkan states -
13 Week 13 (May 18) Turkish-Bulgarian relations -
14 Week 14 (May 25) Turkish-Serbian relations -
15 Week 15 (June 1) Turkish-Greek relations in light of recent developments -
16 - FINAL EXAM -
17 - FINAL EXAM -

SOURCE MATERIALS & RECOMMENDED READING

Mark Mazower (2000), The Balkans: A Short History. New York: Random House
Mustafa Türkeş (1994), "The Balkan Pact and Its Immediate Implications for the Balkan States", Middle Eastern Studies, 30(1), pp.123-144
Mustafa Türkeş (2004) "Turkish Foreign Policy towards the Balkans: Quest for Enduring Stability and Security" in Turkish Foreign Policy in Post Cold War Era, Edited by İdris Bal, (BrownWalker Press; USA), pp.198-210
Mustafa Türkeş (2008) "Türkiye'nin Balkan Politikasında Devamlılık ve Değişim", Avrasya Dosyası, 14(1), pp. 7-34
Birgül Demirtaş (2011) “Turkish Foreign Policy toward the Bosnian War (1992-1995): A constructivist analysis”, Karadeniz Araştırmaları, No. 28, pp. 1-18
Birgül Demirtaş (2019), “Analyzing the debates at the Turkish parliament during the Kosovo conflict (1998-1999): Impact of geography, history, and identity” in David vs. Goliath: NATO war against Yugoslavia and its implications, edited by Nebojša Vuković (Belgrade), pp. 190-204
Dimitar Bechev (2012), “Turkey in the Balkans: Taking a broader view”, Insight Turkey, 14(1), pp. 131-146
Birgül Demirtaş (2015), “Turkish foreign policy towards the Balkans: A Europeanized foreign policy in a de-Europeanized national context?”, Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, 17(2), pp. 123-140
Gergana Noutcheva and Senem Aydın-Düzgit (2012), “Lost in Europeanisation: The Western Balkans and Turkey”, West European Politics, 35(1), pp. 59-78
Ronald Linden and Yasemin Irepoğlu (2013), “Turkey and the Balkans: New Forms of Political Community”, Turkish Studies, 14(2), pp. 229-255
Şener Aktürk and Idlir Lika (2020), “The puzzle of Turkish minority representation, nationhood cleavage, and politics of recognition in Bulgaria, Greece, and North Macedonia”, Mediterranean Politics https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13629395.2020.1750269
Hüseyin Alptekin, Idlir Lika, Merve Dilek Dağdelen, Viktorya Erdoğu (2020), “Bulgaristan Türklerinin kültürel, ekonomik ve siyasi sorunları, talepleri, çözüm önerileri” SETA Report, pp. 9-98
Idlir Lika (2020), “Greek security policy in the eastern Mediterranean”, SETA Analysis, No. 60, pp. 7-16
Idlir Lika (2020), “Greece’s emerging security challenges and the future of Greek-Turkish relations”, SETA Analysis, No. 62, pp. 7-18

ASSESSMENT

Assessment & Grading of In-Term Activities Number of Activities Degree of Contribution (%) Description
Level of Contribution
0 1 2 3 4 5

CONTRIBUTION OF THE COURSE UNIT TO THE PROGRAMME LEARNING OUTCOMES

KNOWLEDGE

Theoretical

Programme Learning Outcomes Level of Contribution
0 1 2 3 4 5
1
Define the basic theoretical, political, economic and administrative theories used in the field of Political Science and International Relations.
4
2
Explain the political history, political ideas, intellectual accumulation of understanding international relations and the way that the history of diplomacy has passed from past to present.
4
3
List the norms of universal law and human rights, the principles of the modern legal system, the names of modern bureaucratic and administrative structures.
4

KNOWLEDGE

Factual

Programme Learning Outcomes Level of Contribution
0 1 2 3 4 5
1
Explain the Turkish state tradition, the influence of Islam, the accumulation of political thought and its historical background, and compare this accumulation with the current approaches.
4
2
Evaluate the chronological development of relations between political and diplomatic developments and political / diplomatic facts / events / ideas / actors from past to present.
4
3
Analyze the structure and functioning of actors, organizations and organizations that determine international relations.
4

SKILLS

Cognitive

Programme Learning Outcomes Level of Contribution
0 1 2 3 4 5
1
In the light of current theoretical debates, apply relevant concepts to current political and international developments.
4
2
Evaluate the Turkish political tradition, developments with the Turkic community.
4
3
Use information on the field when comparing the administrative structures of different countries and their diplomatic traditions.
4

SKILLS

Practical

Programme Learning Outcomes Level of Contribution
0 1 2 3 4 5
1
Formulate the current political developments, developments and arrangements in international relations in the historical and theoretical accumulation.
4
2
Analyze the functioning of modern political regimes in the light of political and public bureaucratic structures, regulations and developments.
4
3
Examine and analyze current political developments in the Balkans, the Middle East, Central Asia, North Africa and the Caucasus in terms of both Turkish political history and international relations discipline.
4

OCCUPATIONAL

Autonomy & Responsibility

Programme Learning Outcomes Level of Contribution
0 1 2 3 4 5
1
To conduct a field-specific study individually and to complete it with discipline and responsibility.
2
2
To assume duties and responsibilities in a team work as leader or team member and to fulfil them flawlessly.
1

OCCUPATIONAL

Learning to Learn

Programme Learning Outcomes Level of Contribution
0 1 2 3 4 5
1
Follow the political and administrative developments in the international political system and the bureaucratic organizations operating in this system.
2
2
Examine the international problems and conflicts, and the problems in the field of administration and politics in detail.
2

OCCUPATIONAL

Communication & Social

Programme Learning Outcomes Level of Contribution
0 1 2 3 4 5
1
Follow the current developments in the field of Political Science and International Relations and collaborate with leading names in the field.
2
2
Examine and analyze academic resources and the written and oral studies on the political developments in the region and the world, especially in the Middle East.
1
3
Debate in the field of political science and public administration with different target groups in multicultural environments.
2

OCCUPATIONAL

Occupational and/or Vocational

Programme Learning Outcomes Level of Contribution
0 1 2 3 4 5
1
With the current historical and theoretical knowledge of the field, suggest sustainable, organizational and administrative arrangements aimed at meeting specific goals and solving certain problems.
2
2
To follow latest developments in the field and direct personal studies accordingly within the framework of the lifelong learning principle.Using the theoretical, economic, political and managerial knowledge, and produce reports on current developments, conflicts and agreements in geography related to world politics and especially in the Middle East.
2
3
Construct arguments on the current developments in Turkish politics in the light of the laws, regulations, and the important changes in the constitution and administrative law that determine Turkish political life and foreign relations.
2

WORKLOAD & ECTS CREDITS OF THE COURSE UNIT

Workload for Learning & Teaching Activities

Type of the Learning Activites Learning Activities (# of week) Duration (hours, h) Workload (h)
Lecture & In-Class Activities 1 12 12
Preliminary & Further Study 1 12 12
Land Surveying 0 0 0
Group Work 1 12 12
Laboratory 0 0 0
Reading 5 12 60
Assignment (Homework) 0 0 0
Project Work 0 0 0
Seminar 0 0 0
Internship 0 0 0
Technical Visit 0 0 0
Web Based Learning 0 0 0
Implementation/Application/Practice 0 0 0
Practice at a workplace 0 0 0
Occupational Activity 0 0 0
Social Activity 0 0 0
Thesis Work 0 0 0
Field Study 0 0 0
Report Writing 0 0 0
Final Exam 1 15 15
Preparation for the Final Exam 0 0 0
Mid-Term Exam 1 12 12
Preparation for the Mid-Term Exam 0 0 0
Short Exam 0 0 0
Preparation for the Short Exam 0 0 0
TOTAL 10 0 123
Total Workload of the Course Unit 123
Workload (h) / 25.5 4,8
ECTS Credits allocated for the Course Unit 5,0