Informing the participants of different political systems and providing them with the skills required to compare and contrast these systems constitute the basic objectives of the course.
Throughout the course, the students will be encouraged to compare and contrast a multiplicity of political systems in line with variables such as political institutions, political culture and patterns of political participation.
Vertical Tabs
Course Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes |
Program Learning Outcomes |
Teaching Methods |
Assessment Methods |
The students will be able to continuously recall and retrieve the information they have obtained by studying political institutions in the first year of their studies. |
2, 6, 7 |
2,3 |
D |
The participants of the course will acquire the skills required to compare and contrast various political systems with regards to their political institutions, political processes and political culture. |
1,2, 3, 8, 9, 11, 13, 16 |
1, 2, 3 |
A, D |
In this effort, the students will be able to classify political systems around the world with the objectives of identifying patterns that hold across a variety of political systems and spotting the differences displayed by these systems. |
1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 16 |
1, 2, 3 |
A, D |
Upon the successful completion of the course, the students will be able to describe and account for the essential characteristics of a multitude of political systems around the world, including the defining and distinguishing features of the systems discussed. |
1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 16 |
1, 2, 3 |
A |
Through various case studies, the course will enable the participants to apply the information they obtained in surveying the literature. |
7, 14 |
3 |
A, D |
In undertaking comparisons throughout the course, the students will be prepared for the ‘regional studies’ track in the final year of their studies. |
2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, |
1, 2, 3 |
A, D |
Course Flow
Week |
Topics |
Study Materials |
1 |
Introduction- The objectives and organization of the course |
|
2 |
Variables used in comparative political inquiry |
Powell, Dalton and Strøm, Chapter 2 |
3 |
‘The Industrialized Democracies’- common and distinguishing features |
Hauss, Chapter 2 |
4 |
‘The Industrialized Democracies’- Political institutions: legislatures, executives, judiciaries, election systems, political party systems, administrative organization of states |
Powell, Dalton and Strøm, Chapter 6 |
5 |
‘The Industrialized Democracies’- Case study: The United States |
Powell, Dalton and Strøm, Chapter 19; Hauss, Chapter 3 |
6 |
‘The Industrialized Democracies’- Case study: The United Kingdom |
Powell, Dalton and Strøm, Chapter 8; Hauss, Chapter 4 |
7 |
‘The Industrialized Democracies’- Case studies: the continent of Europe |
Powell, Dalton and Strøm, Chapters 9 and 10; Hauss, Chapters 5 and 6 |
8 |
‘The Former Communist Political Systems’- common and distinguishing features |
Hauss, Chapter 8 |
9 |
‘The Former Communist Political Systems’- Political institutions: legislatures, executives, judiciaries, election systems, political party systems, administrative organization of states |
Potter, Goldblatt, Kiloh and Lewis, Chapter 16 |
10 |
‘The Former Communist Political Systems’- Case study: the Russian Federation |
Powell, Dalton and Strøm, Chapter 12; Hauss, Chapter 9 |
11 |
‘The Global South’ - common and distinguishing features |
Hauss, Chapter 11 |
12 |
‘The Global South’- Political institutions: legislatures, executives, judiciaries, election systems, political party systems, administrative organization of states |
Diamond |
13 |
African and Middle Eastern Political Systems |
Lynch and Crawford; Yom, and Gause |
14 |
Latin American and Asian Political Systems |
Potter, Goldblatt, Kiloh and Lewis, Chapters 6 and 7 |
15 |
Review of the topics covered |
|
Recommended Sources
Textbooks |
Powell, G. B. , Dalton, R.J. and Strøm, K. (2011), Comparative Politics Today: A World View, Longman
Hauss, C. (2012), Comparative Politics: Domestic Responses to Global Challenges, Wadsworth |
Additional Resources |
Diamond, L. (2012), ‘The Coming Wave’, Journal of Democracy, Vol. 23, No. 1
Lynch, G. And Crawford, G. (2011), ‘Democratization in Africa 1990- 2010: An Assessment’, Democratization, Vol. 18, Issue 2
Potter, D., Goldblatt, D., Kiloh, M. and Lewis, P. (1997), Democratization, The Open University,, Chapters 6, 7, and 16
Yom, S. L. and Gause, G. F. (2012), ‘Resilient Royals: How Arab Monarchies Hang On’, Journal of Democracy, Vol 23, No. 4 |
Material Sharing
Exams |
Mid-term and final examinations (lectures, class discussions and recommended sources) |
Assessment
IN-TERM STUDIES |
NUMBER |
PERCENTAGE |
Mid-term examination |
1 |
40 |
Attendance |
- |
5 |
Participation in class discussions |
- |
5 |
Total |
|
50 |
CONTRIBUTION OF FINAL EXAMINATION TO OVERALL GRADE |
1 |
50 |
CONTRIBUTION OF IN-TERM STUDIES TO OVERALL GRADE |
- |
50 |
Total |
|
100 |
COURSE CATEGORY |
Expertise/Field Courses |
Course’s Contribution to Program
No |
Program Learning Outcomes |
Contribution |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
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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
13 |
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 |
|
|
|
|
|
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 |
Students will respect personal, social and academic ethical norms. |
|
|
|
|
X |
|||||||
15 |
Students should understand the personal, social, and ecological dimensions of social responsibility, and show duties of active and global citizenship. |
|
X |
|
|
|
|||||||
16 |
Students should know that universality of social-political and legal rights and social justice are the principle components of contemporary society, and that scientific thinking is an essential prerequisite for maintaining social advancement and global competitiveness. |
|
|
|
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 |
3 |
48 |
Mid-terms |
1 |
15 |
15 |
Final examination |
1 |
15 |
15 |
Homework |
3 |
8 |
24 |
Total Work Load |
|
|
150 |
Total Work Load / 25 (h) |
|
|
6 |
ECTS Credit of the Course |
|
|
6 |