Course Information
SemesterCourse Unit CodeCourse Unit TitleT+P+LCreditNumber of ECTS CreditsLast Updated Date
2PSIR556War Studies3+0+03723.12.2025
Course Details
Language of Instruction English
Level of Course Unit Master's Degree
Department / Program Political Science and International Relations (English) (With Thesis)
Type of Program Formal Education
Type of Course Unit Elective
Course Delivery Method Face To Face
Objectives of the Course This course aims to have students understand the concept of war, its evolution, the strategic approaches to war, and the causes of war. One of the main objectives of the course is to bring up current trends of war into discussion.
Course Content The course begins with the introduction to war studies. It provides basic conceptual clarifications on war. The wars will be analyzed descriptively in historical perspective. Strategic approaches to wars will be elaborated through three subtopics as 20th century, world wars, and after world wars. The causes of war through levels as individual, organizational, state, international will be studied. Changing character of war will be the last topic of course covering old wars, new wars, insurgencies and civil wars.
Course Methods and Techniques Lecture
Discussion based lecture
Case study
Small group work
Group work
Prerequisites and co-requisities None
Course Coordinator None
Name of Lecturers Prof.Dr. Cenker Korhan Demir
Assistants None
Work Placement(s) No

Recommended or Required Reading
Resources Required: Levy, Jack S. and William R. Thompson (2010). Causes of War. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Required: Vasquez, John A. (2009). The War Puzzle Revisited, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Required: Kaldor, Mary (2012). New and Old Wars, Cambridge: Polity Press. Required: Baylis, John et al. (ed.) (2019). Strategy in the Contemporary World, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Recommended: Strachan, H. (2023). “The Elusive Meaning and Enduring Relevance of Clausewitz” pp. 116-144 (in.) Hal Brands (ed.) The New Makers of Modern Strategy. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Recommended: Murray, W. (2023). “The Strategy of Decisive War versus the Strategy of Attrition” pp. 495-521 (in.) Hal Brands (ed.) The New Makers of Modern Strategy. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Recommended: Fearon, J.D. (1995). “Rationalist Explanations for War” International Organization 49(3), 379-414. Recommended: Hoffman, F.G. (2009). “Hybrid Warfare and Challenges,” Small Wars Journal 52(

Course Category
Social Sciences %100

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Activities are given in detail in the section of "Assessment Methods and Criteria" and "Workload Calculation"

Assessment Methods and Criteria
In-Term Studies Quantity Percentage
Mid-terms 1 % 30
Assignment 1 % 20
Attendance 14 % 10
Final examination 1 % 40
Total
17
% 100

 
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration Total Work Load
Course Duration 15 3 45
Hours for off-the-c.r.stud 2 10 20
Assignments 1 15 15
Presentation 2 20 40
Mid-terms 1 40 40
Final examination 1 50 50
Total Work Load   Number of ECTS Credits 7 210

 
Course Learning Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
NoLearning Outcomes
1 Define and differentiate core concepts and types of war
2 Trace and evaluate key inflection points in the historical evolution of war.
3 Compare and critique strategic thought across periods and authors
4 Apply multi-level causes-of-war frameworks to empirical cases
5 Assess determinants of the character of war, including technology, organisation, and political economy
6 Analyse contemporary conflicts to infer continuities/changes in war’s character

 
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
WeekTopicsStudy MaterialsMaterials
1 Course Overview
2 Introduction to the Study of War; Conceptual Discussions on War; A Typology of War Levy, Jack S. and William R. Thompson (2010). “Introduction to the Study of War”, pp. 1-22, (in) Causes of War. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Vasquez, John A. (2009). “Conceptualizing War”, pp. 14-51 (in) The War Puzzle Revisited. New York: Cambridge University Press. Vasquez, John A. (2009). “A Typology of War,” pp. 61-78, (in) The War Puzzle Revisited. New York: Cambridge University Press.
3 Strategy: the history of an idea Early Thinking About Strategy and War Freedman, L. (2023). “Ch.1: Strategy: The History of An idea”, pp. 17-40 (in.) Hal Brands (ed.) The New Makers of Modern Strategy. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Heuser, Beatrice (2010). “Ch.4: Themes in early thinking about Strategy”, pp. 76-110 (in) The Evolution of Strategy. New York: Cambridge University Press.
4 Strategic Theory and The Evolution of Modern Warfare Mahnken, Thomas G. (2019). “Strategic Theory,” pp.56-71 (in.) John Baylis et al. (ed.) Strategy in the Contemporary World, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Sheehan, Michael (2019). “The Evolution of Modern Warfare,” pp. 36-55, (in.) John Baylis et al. (ed.) Strategy in the Contemporary World, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
5 The World Wars Vasquez, John A. (2009). “Explaining World War: Its Scope, Severity, and Duration,” pp. 245-284, (in) The War Puzzle Revisited, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Watch the movie: Enemy at the Gates. (2001) Director: Jean Jacques Annaud.
6 The World Wars Vasquez, John A. (2009). “Explaining World War: Its Scope, Severity, and Duration,” pp. 245-284, (in) The War Puzzle Revisited, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Watch the movie: Enemy at the Gates. (2001) Director: Jean Jacques Annaud.
7 The Seminar-I
8 The Mid-Term Exam
9 War and International Politics The Causes of War: System Level Watch the YouTube video: John Mearsheimer, War and International Politics, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=takl4fei1pQ&t=4172s Levy, Jack S. and William R. Thompson (2010). “System Level Theories,” pp. 28-50, (in) Causes of War. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
10 The Causes of War: The State and Societal Level Levy, Jack S. and William R. Thompson (2010). “The Dyadic Interactions of States,” pp. 55-77, (in.) Causes of War. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Levy, Jack S. and William R. Thompson (2010). “The State and Societal Level,” pp. 83-120, (in.) Causes of War. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
11 The Causes of War: The Individual and Organizational Level Jervis, Robert (1976). “Perception and Level of Analysis Problem,” pp. 13-31, Perception and Misperception in International Politics. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Levy, Jack S. and William R. Thompson (2010). “Decision-Making: The Individual Level,” pp. 128-157, (in) Causes of War. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Levy, Jack S. and William R. Thompson (2010). “Decision-Making: The Organizational Level,” pp. 162-182, (in) Causes of War. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Watch the documentary: The Fog of War (2003), Director: Errol Morris
12 Changing Character of Wars and Armed Conflicts: old and new wars Kaldor, Mary (2012). “Old Wars,” (in.) New and Old Wars, Cambridge: Polity Press. pp. 15-31. Kaldor, Mary (2012). “The Politics of New Wars,” (in) New and Old Wars, Cambridge: Polity Press. ss. 71-93.
13 Changing Character of Wars and Armed Conflicts: insurgencies and civil wars Kiras, James D. (2019). “Irregular Warfare: Terrorism and Insurgency,” pp. 163-187, (in) John Baylis et al. (ed.) Strategy in the Contemporary World, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Levy, Jack S. and William R. Thompson (2010). “Civil War”, pp. 186-201, (in) Causes of War. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Watch the movie: The Battle of Algiers (1966), Director: Gillo Pontecorvo
14 Seminar-II
15 Seminar-II

 
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11
All 4 3 3 4
C1 4 3
C2 5 3 3
C3 3 4 3
C4 4 3 3
C5 2 4 4
C6 4 3 2 4 3 3 3

  Contribution: 1: Very Slight 2:Slight 3:Moderate 4:Significant 5:Very Significant