At the end of this course, the students; 1) Comprehend and identify fundamental concepts of pre-modern political thought;
2) Analytically and critically assess fundamental concepts and issues leading to the development of modern political theory and state;
3) Know about influential thinkers and works of pre-modern political thought;
4) Comprehend the historical roots of contemporary political theory;
5) Gain ability and vision to critically assess the relationship between political thought and politics in practice;
6) Comprehend and analytically assess the relationship between politics, law and morality;
7) Familiarise with a wide range of political thought currents in political history and identify their characteristics.
MODE OF DELIVERY
Face to face
PRE-REQUISITES OF THE COURSE
No
RECOMMENDED OPTIONAL PROGRAMME COMPONENT
There is no recommended optional programme component for this course.
COURSE DEFINITION
This course is designed for Political Science and International Relations students to comprehend fundamental issues and various approaches accompanying them in Western political thought from 5th century B.C. to 16th century A.D. Engaging with the works of influential political thinkers during the Hellenistic, Roman, Medieval and so-called pre-Modern eras, we scrutinize on a wide range of political thought systems in relation to contextual and historical conditions that govern these historical periods. Throughout this course, historical roots of a number of political issues (i.e. justice, characteristics of the state, government, relationships between ruler and ruled, law, religion, power, etc.) that has shaped the fundamentals of political thoughts are to be covered. We engage with these issues from multiple perspectives in order to comprehend the different ways through which they have been engaged with various political thinkers as well as different theoretical systems that had been designed in the history of Western political thought to explain them. One of the main objectives of this course is to ensure students? comprehension of the historically (and contemporarily) inseparable relationships between politics, morality and law. To that aim, the course begins with and introductory session on the relationship between `political thought? and `reel politics?. This introduction is followed by four main parts that structure the course. The first part focuses on the Hellenistic period of the Ancient ages. Influential currents of thoughts (Sophism, Socratic methods, Plantonism, Aristotelianism) as well as the vital role of the establishment of autonomous and `democratic? Athenian polis (or city-state) on their emergences are explained in detail. The second part covers political thought during the Roman era. Special emphasis is given to political thoughts of Cicero especially regarding the manners in which he relates state, law and republic to each other under the specific historical circumstances that governed the Roman Republic. The third part of the course covers the reestablishment of the relationship between religion and politics during the Medieval Ages. This relationship is explained by mainly drawing from the writings of Saint Paul, Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas. The period known as secularization of politics is explained in the fourth part with a detailed emphasis on the political thought of Niccolo Machiavelli. The object of this part is to examine the transition period from the so-called pre-modern to modern Western political thought. The final part emphasises on the birth of new currents in Western political thought that take ?state and sovereignty? as their main concern. Pre-modern and modern political thoughts is linked together through illustrating some of these new currents that were influential in early modern Western political thought.
COURSE CONTENTS
WEEK
TOPICS
1st Week
Polis and democracy in Hellenistic Period
(Ağaoğulları, pp. 19-54)
2nd Week
Philosophy and Political Thought in Hellenistic Period - Philosophers of Nature, Sophists, and Socrates
(Ağaoğulları, pp. 54-90)
3rd Week
Plato - Justice as the Intersection Point of Morality and Politics
(Ağaoğulları, pp. 91-125)
4th Week
Aristotle - Justice in Practice
(Ağaoğulları, pp. 125-152)
5th Week
The Crisis of Roman Republic and Search for Remedies - Roman Political Thought from Epicurus to Polybius and Cicero
(Ağaoğulları, pp. 153-176)
6th Week
Rethinking Morality between Republic and Empire: Seneca and the New Face of Stoicism
(Ağaoğulları, pp. 176-195)
7th Week
Saint Paul, Augustine and the "Divine State"
(Ağaoğulları, pp. 197-228)
8th Week
Mid-term Exam
9th Week
Emerging Conflicts between Divine Authority and Secular Authority - "Killing the Tyrant" or "Searching for Mediation"?
(Ağaoğulları, pp. 237-262)
10th Week
First Steps towards "Secular Politics" - Dante, William of Ockham, and Marsilius of Padua
(Ağaoğulları, pp. 263-288)
11th Week
The way from Middle Ages to the New Age - Luther, Muntzer and Calvin as Three Thinkers of Reformation and Renaissance
(Ağaoğulları, pp. 289-318)
12th Week
The Machiavellian Revolution - Towards the Modern State
(Ağaoğulları, pp. 319-344)
13th Week
After Machiavelli - Utopian Movements against the Centralised Absolutists State and the Birth of Modernity
(Ağaoğulları, pp. 357-400)
14th Week
Sovereignty, State and Power: towards Contractual Theories of the State
(Ağaoğulları, pp. 401-416)
RECOMENDED OR REQUIRED READING
Ağaoğulları, M. A. (2015) Sokrates?ten Jakobenlere Batı?da Siyasal Düşünceler (İstanbul: İletişim).
PLANNED LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS
Lecture,Discussion
ASSESSMENT METHODS AND CRITERIA
Quantity
Percentage(%)
Mid-term
1
35
Attendance
1
20
Total(%)
55
Contribution of In-term Studies to Overall Grade(%)
55
Contribution of Final Examination to Overall Grade(%)
45
Total(%)
100
ECTS WORKLOAD
Activities
Number
Hours
Workload
Midterm exam
1
1,5
1,5
Preparation for Quiz
Individual or group work
14
3
42
Preparation for Final exam
1
35
35
Course hours
14
3
42
Preparation for Midterm exam
1
30
30
Laboratory (including preparation)
Final exam
1
1,5
1,5
Homework
Total Workload
152
Total Workload / 30
5,06
ECTS Credits of the Course
5
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION
Turkish
WORK PLACEMENT(S)
No
KEY LEARNING OUTCOMES (KLO) / MATRIX OF LEARNING OUTCOMES (LO)
