PSIR 310 | Course Introduction and Application Information - Department of Political Science and International Relations

Course Name

Caucasus in International Politics

Code	Semester	Theory (hour/week)	Application/Lab (hour/week)	Local Credits	ECTS
PSIR 310	Fall/Spring	3	0	3	6

Prerequisites	None
Course Language	English
Course Type	Elective
Course Level	First Cycle
Mode of Delivery	-
Teaching Methods and Techniques of the Course	-
National Occupation Classification	-
Course Coordinator	-
Course Lecturer(s)	Öğr. Gör. Dr. Ozan ARSLAN
Assistant(s)	-

Course Objectives

To explain the dynamics of the Caucasian isthmus, with its ethnic and religious groups, its energy sources and routes, and its frozen conflicts, and, to examine the regional powers’ foreign policy perspectives visàvis the region.

Learning Outcomes

#	Content	PC Sub	* Contribution Level
#	Content	PC Sub	1	2	3	4	5
1	to have a comprehensive view on the historical actors of the Caucasus and on its peculiar multiethnic and multi-religious structure
2	to identify the historical perspectives of the major powers’ foreign policies vis-à-vis the region
3	to examine Turkey-Caucasus relations’ past and present with the changes and continuities
4	to compare the late Ottoman and Republican Turkish foreign policies vis-à-vis the region with each other as well as with the other regional policies of the Turkish diplomacy
5	to discuss the dynamics of the Energy Politics in the Caucasus
6	to describe the historical backgrounds of the Abkhazian, South Ossetian, Chechen and Karabakh conflicts

Course Description

Caucasus in International Politics classes analyze the demographic, political and economic dynamics of the Caucasian isthmus, with a particular emphasis on the regional powers’ foreign policies towards the region.

Course Category	Core Courses
	Major Area Courses	X
	Supportive Courses
	Media and Management Skills Courses
	Transferable Skill Courses

Week	Subjects	Related Preparation	Learning Outcome
1	Introduction of the course and the course material
2	An Overview of the History of the Caucasus region	Charles King, The Ghost of Freedom: a History of the Caucasus, Oxford University Press, New York, 2008.
3	On Armenia (Hayastan)	Ronald Grigor Suny, Looking toward Ararat: Armenia in Modern History, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1993.
4	On Georgia (Sakartvelo)	Richard Hovannisian, The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times, 2 vols., St. Martin's Press, New York, 1997. Ronald Grigor Suny, The Making of the Georgian Nation, Indiana University Press, 1994.
5	On Azerbaijan	Altstadt, Audrey L., The Azerbaijani Turks, Power and Identity under Russian Rule. California: Hoover Institution Press, 1992.
6	On Chechnya, the Northern Caucasus and its federal republics	Mike Bowker, “Russia and Chechnya, the Issue of Secession”, Nations and Nationalism, Vol. 10, No. 4, 2004. Robert Bruce Ware, Dagestan: Russian hegemony and Islamic resistance in the North Caucasus, M.E. Sharpe, New York, 2010.
7	Midterm Exam
8	Turkish Foreign Policy (the late-Ottoman and Republican eras) towards the Caucasus	Mustafa Aydın, “Foucault's Pendelum: Turkey in Central Asia and the Caucasus”, Turkish Studies, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2004.
9	The Pipeline Politics in the Caucasus	Anush Begoyan, “United States Policy in the South Caucasus: Securitisation of the Baku-Ceyhan Project”, Iran and the Caucasus, Vol. 8, No. 1, 2004.
10	August 2008 “Five Day” War in the Transcaucasus and the relevant foreign policies of the major and regional powers	Svante E. Cornell and S. Frederick Starr, The Guns of August 2008: Russia's War in Georgia, M.E. Sharpe, New York, 2009.
11	Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict from the early 20th century to 2020	Thomas de Waal, Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War, NYU Press, New York, 2013.
12	Class Presentations
13	Class Presentations
14	Class Presentations
15	Review
16	Review of the Semester

Course Notes/Textbooks

Charles King, The Ghost of Freedom: a History of the Caucasus, Oxford University Press, New York, 2008.

Ronald Grigor Suny, The Making of the Georgian Nation, Indiana University Press, 1994.

Ronald Grigor Suny, Looking toward Ararat: Armenia in Modern History, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1993.

Richard Hovannisian, The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times, 2 vols. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997.

Altstadt, Audrey L., The Azerbaijani Turks, Power and Identity under Russian Rule. Hoover Institution Press, Stanford, 1992.

Thomas de Waal, Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War, NYU Press, New York, 2013.

Mike Bowker, “Russia and Chechnya, the Issue of Secession”, Nations and Nationalism, Vol. 10, No. 4, 2004.

Robert Bruce Ware, Dagestan: Russian hegemony and Islamic resistance in the North Caucasus, M.E. Sharpe, New York, 2010.

Mustafa Aydın, “Foucault's Pendelum: Turkey in Central Asia and the Caucasus”, Turkish Studies, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2004.

Anush Begoyan, “United States Policy in the South Caucasus: Securitisation of the Baku-Ceyhan Project”, Iran and the Caucasus, Vol. 8, No. 1, 2004.

Svante E. Cornell and S. Frederick Starr, The Guns of August 2008: Russia's War in Georgia, M.E. Sharpe, New York, 2009.

*All course readings are available at the University Library and as open sources.

Suggested Readings/Materials

Semester Activities	Number	Weighting	LO 1	LO 2	LO 3	LO 4	LO 5	LO 6
Participation	1	15
Laboratory / Application
Field Work
Quizzes / Studio Critiques
Portfolio
Homework / Assignments
Presentation / Jury	1	15
Project	1	15
Seminar / Workshop
Oral Exams	1	20
Midterm
Final Exam	1	35
Total

Weighting of Semester Activities on the Final Grade	4	65
Weighting of End-of-Semester Activities on the Final Grade	1	35
Total

Semester Activities	Number	Duration (Hours)	Workload
Theoretical Course Hours (Including exam week: 16 x total hours)	16	3	48
Laboratory / Application Hours (Including exam week: '.16.' x total hours)	16		0
Study Hours Out of Class	10	3	30
Field Work			0
Quizzes / Studio Critiques			0
Portfolio			0
Homework / Assignments			0
Presentation / Jury	1	20	20
Project	1	20	20
Seminar / Workshop			0
Oral Exam	1	20	20
Midterms			0
Final Exam	1	31	31
		Total	169

#	PC Sub	Program Competencies/Outcomes	* Contribution Level
#	PC Sub	Program Competencies/Outcomes	1	2	3	4	5
1	To be able to use the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired in the areas of Political Science and International Relations.		-	X	-	-	-
2	To be able to have the basic knowledge of, and make use of other disciplines which contribute to the areas of Political Science and International Relations.		-	-	-	-	-
3	To be able to distinguish the differences between classical and contemporary theories and to assess their relationship.		-	-	-	-	-
4	To be able to recognize regional and global issues, and develop solutions based on research.		-	-	-	-	-
5	To be able to assess the acquired knowledge and skills in the areas of Political Science and International Relations critically.		-	-	-	X	-
6	To be able to transfer ideas and proposals on issues in the areas of Political Science and International Relations to other people and institutions verbally and in writing.		X	-	-	-	-
7	To be able to identify the historical continuity and changes observed in the relations between the actors and institutions of national and international politics.		-	-	-	-	X
8	To be able to examine concepts, theories, and developments with scientific methods in the areas of Political Science and International Relations.		-	-	-	-	-
9	To be able to take responsibility as an individual and as a team member.		X	-	-	-	-
10	To be able to act in accordance with the scientific and ethical values in studies related to Political Science and International Relations.		-	X	-	-	-
11	To be able to collect data in the areas of Political Science and International Relations and communicate with colleagues in a foreign language ("European Language Portfolio Global Scale", Level B1).		-	-	-	-	-
12	To be able to speak a second foreign at a medium level of fluency efficiently.		-	-	-	-	-
13	To be able to relate the knowledge accumulated throughout human history to their field of experience.		-	-	-	-	-