Course Information
SemesterCourse Unit CodeCourse Unit TitleT+P+LCreditNumber of ECTS CreditsLast Updated Date
1PSIR101Introduction to Politcal Science3+0+03505.12.2024
Course Details
Language of Instruction English
Level of Course Unit Bachelor's Degree
Department / Program Political Science and International Relations
Type of Program Formal Education
Type of Course Unit Compulsory
Course Delivery Method Face To Face
Objectives of the Course This course aims to help students understand the analytical approaches to the study of politics and their many practical and immediate uses, whether in clarifying the logic behind divergent perspectives on international security questions or in identifying the shared ontological assumptions of individualist conservatism and classical liberalism. The major organizational features of this course reflect the logic of trying to balance (a) acknowledgment of the breadth of the discipline of political science with (b) awareness of the benefits of keeping the length of the text manageable.
Course Content Throughout the course, the historical development of political science as a science is discussed. Key concepts in political science analysis are presented as those concepts relate to elections, parties, and transnational issues. The course also explores how ethical frameworks for evaluating politics can be informed by Socratic, Platonic, Aristotelian, Machiavellian, Hobbesian, Madisonian, Millian, and Nietzschean insights. Later Chapters introduce students to ideologies such as liberal, conservative, socialist, fascist, feminist, environmentalist, and postmodern theory.
After the students learn the key concepts and ideologies until the Mid-term exam, in the 2nd half until the final exam, the course introduces students to understand the basic annals of comparative politics, with attention given to democratic-nondemocratic analytical frameworks, comparative electoral, political party, and interest group strategies and patterns, and comparative executive, legislative, and judicial institutions. In later chapters, the course closes the learning progress by introducing students to models of analysis.
Course Methods and Techniques Lecture
Discussion based lecture
Case study
Group work
Prerequisites and co-requisities None
Course Coordinator None
Name of Lecturers Prof.Dr. AHMET KESER ahmet.keser@hku.edu.tr
Assistants None
Work Placement(s) No

Recommended or Required Reading
Resources Required: Grigsby, Ellen, (2014), Analyzing Politics An Introduction to Political Science, Cengage Learning, Belmont, CA 94002-3098 USA, 5’th Edition.
Recommended: Munroe, Trevor, (2002), An Introduction to Politics, Canoe Press 1A Aqueduct Flats Mona, Third Edition
Recommended: Heywood, Andrew, (2007), Siyaset, Editör: Buğra Kalkan, Adres Yayınları.
Recommended: Heywood, Andrew, (1997), Political Ideologies: An Introduction (2nd ed.) (Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave.
Course Notes Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. CLO1: Identify the basic concepts and theories of politics. (PLO1/PÖÇ1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO3/PÖÇ3: Be Updated)
2. CLO2: Demonstrate competency in the basic approaches and perspectives in evaluating various political approaches. Explores several issues, such as political science and scientific methods, key political science concepts, political theory, political ideologies, and comparative politics. (PLO1/PÖÇ1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO3/PÖÇ3: Be Updated, PLO5/PÖÇ5: Independent Studying),
3. CLO3: Distinguish between various types of theories. Creates typology of political ideologies. Knows the framework of studying methods of political science in great detail. Discuss the ideas in a group/team structure by taking responsibility and concerning other ideas and cultures (PLO1/PÖÇ1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO3/PÖÇ3: Be Updated, PLO5/PÖÇ5: Independent Studying, PLO6/PÖÇ6: Taking Responsibility, PLO7/PÖÇ7: Social Communication, PLO8/PÖÇ8: Be able to construct intercultural relations),
4. CLO4: Identify and explore the basic annals of comparative politics. Democracies and non-democracies. (PLO1/PÖÇ1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO7/PÖÇ7: Social Communication, PLO8/PY8: Be able to construct intercultural relations),
5. CLO5: Demonstrate competency in the basic approaches and perspectives in evaluating various practices of democratic-nondemocratic analytical frameworks. Analyze the properties of executive, legislative, and judicial bodies. (PLO1/PÖÇ1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO7/PÖÇ7: Social Communication, PLO8/PÖÇ8: Be able to construct intercultural relations),
6. CLO6: Distinguish between alternative models of analysis and contemporary political science ideologies. Create typology of alternative models of analysis and ethical standards. (PLO1/PÖÇ1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO2/PÖÇ2: Research Methods, PLO3/PY3: Be updated, PLO4/PÖÇ4: Interdisciplinary Study, PLO5/PÖÇ5: Independent Studying, PLO6/PÖÇ6 Taking Responsibility, PLO10/PÖÇ10 Ethics).
Documents Grigsby, Ellen, (2014), Analyzing Politics An Introduction to Political Science, Cengage Learning, Belmont, CA 94002-3098 USA, 5’th Edition.
Assignments Homework One: What is Political Science (1) Professor Tamir Sukkary, Introduction to political science: What is political science. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQK0Xbfel-M Homework Two: What is politics? (1) Prof. ethan Hollander, Introduction to political science: What is politics? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZzFM6tlfZQ Homework Three: Republic vs Democracy Robert Breaker: Republic vs Democracy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ0wNXzcZls Homework Four: Why Socrates Ha
Exams Ara sınav ve Final Sınavı

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 % 20
Attendance 14 % 10
Practice 14 % 10
Final examination 1 % 60
Total
30
% 100

 
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration Total Work Load
Course Duration 14 3 42
Hours for off-the-c.r.stud 3 1 3
Assignments 15 4 60
Presentation 1 1 1
Mid-terms 1 10 10
Practice 4 6 24
Final examination 1 10 10
Total Work Load   Number of ECTS Credits 5 150

 
Course Learning Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
NoLearning Outcomes
1 CLO1: Identify the basic concepts and theories of politics.
2 CLO2: Demonstrate competency in the basic approaches and perspectives in evaluating various political approaches. Explores several issues, such as political science and scientific methods, key political science concepts, political theory, political ideologies, and comparative politics.
3 CLO3: Distinguish between various types of theories. Creates typology of political ideologies. Knows the framework of studying methods of political science in great detail. Discuss the ideas in a group/team structure by taking responsibility and concerning other ideas and cultures
4 CLO4: Identify and explore the basic annals of comparative politics. Democracies and non-democracies.
5 CLO5: Demonstrate competency in the basic approaches and perspectives in evaluating various practices of democratic-nondemocratic analytical frameworks. Analyze the properties of executive, legislative, and judicial bodies.
6 CLO6: Distinguish between alternative models of analysis and contemporary political science ideologies. Create typology of alternative models of analysis and ethical standards.

 
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
WeekTopicsStudy MaterialsMaterials
1 Introduction (Analyzing Politics An Introduction to Political Science, Key Terms) Check the syllubus and read the chapter before theweek. COURSE RESOURCES Required: Grigsby, Ellen, (2014), Analyzing Politics An Introduction to Political Science, Cengage Learning, Belmont, CA 94002-3098 USA, 5’th Edition. Recommended: Munroe, Trevor, (2002), An Introduction to Politics, Canoe Press 1A Aqueduct Flats Mona, Third Edition Recommended: Heywood, Andrew, (2007), Siyaset, Editör: Buğra Kalkan, Adres Yayınları. Recommended: Heywood, Andrew, (1997), Political Ideologies: An Introduction (2nd ed.) (Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave.
2 Introduction (What is Traditionalism and its Focus? What is Behavioralism and its Focus? What is Postbehavioralism and its Focus? Political Science and Scientific Methods in Studying Politics) Grigsby, Ellen, (2014): 1-11
3 Political Science and Scientific Methods in Studying Politics (Formulating hypotheses, Operationalizing concepts, Identifying independent and dependent variables, Measurement criteria, Causation and correlation, Developing scienti?c theories, Epistemology, Methodology, Empiricism, Case Studies, Survey Researches, Experiments, Quasi-experiments, Quantitative analysis) Grigsby, Ellen, (2014): 12-41
4 Key Concepts in Political Science (Examination of basic political concepts, such as Power (types of power), State, Nation, Sovereignty, Legitimacy, Culture. Grigsby, Ellen, (2014): 42-73 Heywood, Andrew, (2007):123-180
5 Political Theory: Examining the Ethical Foundations of Politics (What power should states serve? Should state power be highly curtailed (limited) or maximized? and What role should ethics play in the exercise of state decision making?) Grigsby, Ellen, (2014): 74-94
6 Political Ideologies I: Liberalism Conservatism Grigsby, Ellen, (2014): 95-123 Heywood, Andrew, (2007):57-94
7 Political Ideologies I: Socialism Grigsby, Ellen, (2014): 95-123 Heywood, Andrew, (2007):57-94
8 MIDTERM EXAM
9 Political Ideologies II Fascism Grigsby, Ellen, (2014): 124-139 Heywood, Andrew, (2007):57-94
10 Political Ideologies III Feminism, Environmentalism, Modernism and Postmodernism Grigsby, Ellen, (2014): 140-161 Heywood, Andrew, (2007):57-94
11 Comparative Politics I Governmental Systems: Democracy and Nondemocracy Grigsby, Ellen, (2014): 162-190 Munroe, Trevor, (2002): 35-53 Heywood, Andrew, (2007):95-122
12 Comparative Politics II Interest Groups, Political Parties, and Elections Grigsby, Ellen, (2014): 191-227
13 Comparative Politics II Interest Groups, Political Parties, and Elections Grigsby, Ellen, (2014): 191-227
14 Comparative Politics III Governing Democracies: Executives, Legislatures, Judiciaries Grigsby, Ellen, (2014): 228-247 Munroe, Trevor, (2002): 105-106
15 General Overview and Discussion Grigsby, Ellen, (2014) Munroe, Trevor, (2002)
16 FINAL EXAM

 
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10
All 5 2 4 2 3 2 3 3 1
C1 3 2
C2 2 2 3
C3 3 1 3 2 2 1 2
C4 1 2 3 2
C5 2 2 1
C6 1 2 2 1 2 2 3

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