Introduction to International Relations

Course Code:

PSIR 211

Course Period:

Autumn

Course Type:

Core

P:

3

Application:

0

Credits:

3

ECTS:

6

Prerequisite Courses:

History of International Relations II

Course Language:

İngilizce

Course Objectives:

This course aims to familiarize its participants with the terminology and concepts of mainstream IR perspectives of realism and liberalism as well as provide students with theoretical tools and frameworks of analysis helping to understand the international syste

Course Content:

To accomplish this objective the course tries to answer questions such as: What is the international system? What is the difference between focusing on human nature or structure of international system. What is the difference between focusing on states as main actors or non-‐state actors or both of them. How power is defined and why it is so important? What do the concepts such as anarchy, power struggle, security, survival, national interest, self-‐help, security dilemma, balance of power, balance of threat, soft balancing, bandwagoning, interdependence, perpetual peace, international institutions mean? How the current international system has been evolved from Second World War to todays and how scholars have responded theoreticaly these changes and what kinds of ‘maps’ they provided to explain, understand and direct these developments? Why such different approaches has been developed? What are the strengths

Course Methodology:

1: Lecture, 2: Question-Answer, 3: Discussion

Course Evaluation Methods:

A: Testing, B. Exams, C: Homework

Vertical Tabs

Course Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Teaching Methods

Assessment Methods

list the basic assumptions of realist and liberal International Relations perspectives,

3,7

1,2,3

A

explain how theories have changed in times

4,6,7

1,2,3

A

recognize the differences within realist and liberal perspectives and between realist and liberal perpectives,

5,7

1,2,3

A

compare and contrast the ideas of various realist and liberal perspectives and also the ideas of variations of each perspectives

5,6,7

1,2,3

A

describe how different realist and liberal perspectives criticize each other

5,6,8

1,2,3

A

interpret the passages of different IR scholars and manipulate on them.

5,6,8

1,2,3

A

Course Flow

COURSE CONTENT
Weeks	Topics	Study Materials
1	Introduction Why we need to theories or functions of a theory
2	Basic assumptions and propositions of Realism	Joseph M. Grieco (1997), Realist International Theory and The Study of World Politics, 163-‐201
3	Classical Realism (Thucydides, Machiavelli, Hobbes) and Neo-‐ classical Realism: (E.H. Carr and H. Morgenthau	Hans Morgenthau “Six Principles of Political Realism” in Art &Jervis IP: 7-‐14
4	Neo-realism or Structural realism	Kenneth Waltz (1979), “The Anarchic Structure of WorldPolitics” in IP 29-49 Kenneth Waltz (1988), “The Origins of War in Neo-realist Theory” 615-628
5	End of the Cold War and the Realism	Kenneth Waltz (1993) “The Emerging Structure of International Politics” 44‐79
6	Balance of Power Theory:	Henner Fürtig “Conflict and Cooperation in the Persian Gulf: The Interregional Order and US Policy” 627‐640 Morgenthau, “Balance of Power” and “Different Methods of B of P” (ERWP)
7	Effects of Unipolarity over Balance of Power Theory: New Types ofBalancing	Christopher Layne (2006) “The Unipolar Illusion Revisited”7‐41 Robert Pape (2005) “Soft Balancing Against the US”7‐45
8	Critiques to Neorealism: Anarchy versus Hierarchy	David Lake (2009) “Regional Hierarchy, Authority and Local IN Order” 35‐58 David Kang (2003) “Hierarchy, Balancingand Emprical Puzzles in Asian IR”165-‐ 180
9	Critiques to Neorealism: International Politics versus Domestic Politics,	James Fearon (1998) Domestic Foreign Politics Policyand Theories of IR, 289-313
10	MID TERM
11	Republican Liberalism and Idealism	Kant, “To Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch” in CIR: 368-76 Wilson, “The World Must Be Made Safe for Democracy” and “Fourteen Points” in CIR: 35‐40.
12	Democratic Peace Theory and Realists Critiques of it	Michael Doyle “Democratic Peace Theory” Christopher Layne, “Kant or Cant: The Myth of The Democratic Peace” in ERWP: 397-‐420
13	Interdependence Liberalism	Keohane and Nye, “Complex Interdependence and the Role of Force” in IP:
14	Review	Related sections of the textbook
15	Review	Related sections of the textbook
16	Final	Related sections of the textbook

Recommended Sources

RECOMMENDED SOURCES

Textbook

Additional Resources Resources are updated at the beginning of term

Material Sharing

MATERIAL SHARING

Documents Library

Assignments

Exams Exams will be held in the rooms

Assessment

ASSESSMENT
IN-TERM STUDIES	NUMBER	PERCENTAGE
Evaluation I	1	40
Evaluation II
Participation
	Total 1	40
CONTRIBUTION OF THE PAPER TO OVERALL GRADE	1	60
CONTRIBUTION OF IN-TERM STUDIES TO OVERALL GRADE
	Total 100	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	Students will demonstrate their comprehensive knowledge of the basic concepts and theories of Political Science and International Relations as well as other related disciplines such as Law, Economics and Sociology.					X
2	Students will interpret the structure, institutions and operation of national, international and supranational entities via utilization of the concepts and theories of Political Science and International relations and produce project reports that include possible solutions to problems of such institutions when necessary.					X
3	Students will demonstrate that they have developed a comparative, analytical and interdisciplinary approach vis-à-vis human societies and political systems.			X
4	Students will have improved their skills and awareness of personal responsibility and team membership through conducting group or independent research projects, doing internships and producing their graduation dissertations.	X
Students will demonsrate proficiency in quantitative and 5 qualitative data collections methods.		X
6	Students will prove their understanding of the rapidly-evolving dynamics of national and global environments requires constant self-assessment, life-long learning, and the ability to formulate innovative solutions to maintain their personal and professional development.				X
7	Students should be able to critically evaluate the body of knowledge in political science, assess self-competency and direct self-learning efforts accordingly.				X
Students will implement written and oral communication skills in 8 English and Turkish in both academic and professional settings.				X
9	Students should be able to effectively demonstrate their knowledge of written, oral and reading skills in English both in international institutional settings and follow and interpret the global dynamics of the International Relations discipline.					X
10 11 12	Students will demonstrate their social skills and experience required by public or private institutions or in the academia.		X
	Students will show empathy and respect towards societies other than one’s own.		X
	Students should be able to effectively utilize computer and information technologies commonly-used in the social sciences.	X
13	Students will interpret domestic and international developments and express opinions, having acquired advanced knowledge and proficiency in the via communication with international scholars and students.			X
14 15	Students will respect personal, social and academic ethical norms.					X
14 15	Students should understand the personal, social, and ecological dimensions of social responsibility, and show duties of active and	X

ECTS

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	4	48
Evaluation I	1	15	15
Evaluation II 1 15 15
Paper 3 8 24
Total Work Load			150
Total Work Load / 25 (h)			6
ECTS Credit of the Course			6

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Introduction to International Relations

Vertical Tabs

Course Learning Outcomes

Course Flow

Recommended Sources

Material Sharing

Assessment

Course’s Contribution to Program

ECTS