This course, presented under the title of Selected Topics in Social Sciences, covers the discipline of Geopolitics. The aim of this elective course is to discuss the relationship between geography and global politics. In this context, the theoretical process that emerged within the framework of the emergence and development of geopolitical discipline will be discussed together with important historical events. The course aims to analyze the fundamental links between distribution of power in the world and politics and thus to present a broader perspective to the student. Throughout the course, classical geopolitical theories will be discussed with the help of maps and audiovisual materials over periods such as imperialism, expansionism, Cold War, and new world order. In addition, critical geopolitics, which provides a new theoretical framework for the relationship between geography and global politics, will be examined through various texts and case studies.
. Halford J. Mackinder, “The Geographical Pivot of History,” The Geographical Journal, 23:4, 1904.
. Alfred T. Mahan, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History 1660-1783, London: Sampson Low, Marston and Co., 1890.
. Gearóid Ó Tuathail, Simon Dalby and Paul Routeledge, The Geopolitics Reader, New York: Routledge, 1998.
. Saul Bernard Cohen, Geopolitics: The Geography of International Relations, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2003.
. John Agnew, Geopolitics: Re-visioning World Politics, London, New York: Routledge, 2004.
. Colin Flint, Introduction to Geopolitics, London, New York: Routledge, 2006.
Other Sources
. George Steinmetz, “Geopolitics”, in George Ritzer (Ed.), The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Globalization, New Jersey: Blackwell, 2012, pp.1-23.
. Michael Heffernan, “Fin de siècle, fin du monde? On the origins of European geopolitics, 1890–1920,” in Klaus Dodds and David Atkinson, (Ed.) Geopolitical Traditions: A Century of Geopolitical Thought, London and New York: Routledge, 2000, 27-52.
. Geoffrey Sloan, “Sir Halford J. Mackinder: The Heartland Theory Then and Now,” Journal of Strategic Studies, 22:2-3, 1999, pp. 15-38.
. Jon Sumida, “Alfred Thayer Mahan: Geopolitician,” Journal of Strategic Studies, 22:2-3, 1999, pp. 39-62.
. Holger H. Herwig, “Geopolitik, Haushofer, Hitler and Lebensraum,” Journal of Strategic Studies, 22:2-3, 1999, pp. 218-214.
. Yves Lacoste, Coğrafya Her Şeyden Önce Savaş Yapmaya Yarar, Çev. Selim Sezer, İstanbul: Ayrıntı Yayınları, ss. 49-65.
. Francis Fukuyama, “The End of History?” National Interest, No.16, 1989, pp. 3-18.
. Samuel P. Huntington, “The Clash of Civilizations?” Foreign Affairs, 72:3, 1993, pp.22-49.
. Zbigniew Brzezinski, The Grand Chessboard, New York: Basic Books, 1997.
Course Schedules
Week
Contents
Learning Methods
1. Week
Introduction
Presentation
2. Week
Origins: Definitions and Three Ages of Geopolitics
Presentation and Discussion
3. Week
Stages of Geopolitical Thought
Presentation and Discussion
4. Week
Imperial Geopolitics
Presentation and Discussion
5. Week
Second World War Geopolitics
Presentation and Discussion
6. Week
Cold War Geopolitics: USA vs. Russia
Presentation and Discussion
7. Week
Mid-term Exam
Mid-term Exam
8. Week
Cold War Geopolitics: France
Presentation and Discussion
9. Week
New World Order Geopolitics
Presentation and Discussion
10. Week
Critical Geopolitics I
Presentation and Discussion
11. Week
Critical Geopolitics II
Presentation and Discussion
12. Week
Geopolitics in Turkey
Presentation and Discussion
13. Week
Paper Proposals
Presentation and Discussion
14. Week
Paper Proposals
Presentation and Discussion
15. Week
Wrap-up session-1
Presentation and Discussion
16. Week
Wrap-up session-2
Presentation and Discussion
17. Week
Final Exam
Final Exam
Assessments
Evaluation tools
Quantity
Weight(%)
Midterm(s)
1
30
Attendance
1
10
Final Exam
1
40
Program Outcomes
PO-1
To identify and use theoretical and practical knowledge in International Relations.
PO-2
To express ideas and assessments about contemporary debates in International Relations.
PO-3
To acknowledge ethical and scientific responsibilities of data collection, evaluation and publication.
PO-4
To monitor and interpret published studies in International Relations.
PO-5
To use a second language at an intermediate level.
PO-6
To analyze, compare and relate different local, regional and global developments in International Relations.
PO-7
To analyze, compare and relate International Relations with theories and practices of different associate departments and their sub-fields and to offer suggestions by combining these fields.
PO-8
To present substantial knowledge for various public, private and academic career positions.
PO-9
To analyze the emergence and functions of prominent regional and local actors and to make future projections about their actions.
PO-10
To theoretically and practically examine different events and facts in International Relations and Foreign Policy and to interpret their past, present, and future through a scientific perspective.
Learning Outcomes
LO-1
To establish the relationship between geography and global politics.
LO-2
To distinguish the effect of geography on politics and the effect of politics on geography.
LO-3
To analyze the fundamental links between power distribution and politics.
LO-4
To read the relationship between geography and politics from a critical geopolitical perspective as well as the classical geopolitical tradition.
LO-5
To examine the historical events that are the subject of the discipline of international relations from the past to the present from a geopolitical framework.
