Information Package / Course Catalogue
Balkans
Course Code: INT417
Course Type: Area Elective
Couse Group: First Cycle (Bachelor's Degree)
Education Language: English
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 3
Prt.: 0
Credit: 3
Lab: 0
ECTS: 7
Objectives of the Course

The aim of this course is to analyze the political structure of the Balkans, its historical transformation and its relations with regional/international actors. Students will evaluate current issues and policies in the Balkans, focusing on topics such as ethnic conflicts, state-building, foreign interventions and European integration.

Course Content

In this course, firstly Balkan geography will be introduced. Then, the settlement of the peoples of the region in the region and their historical nation and state building processes will be discussed. Then the nation-state building processes of these peoples will be evaluated and their relations with each other will be analyzed. Finally, after the end of the Cold War, the disintegration and state-building processes of the Balkan peoples will be explained and the relations of these countries with Turkey, the USA, the European Union, the Russian Federation, China and NATO will be discussed.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Prof. Murat Necip ARMAN
Learning Outcomes
1.Students will be able to explain the historical and structural dynamics of Balkan politics.
2.Students will be able to evaluate ethnic conflicts and humanitarian intervention policies.
3.Students will be able to compare the strategies of the main international actors in the region.
4.Students will be able to analyze the foreign policy orientations of Balkan countries.
5.Students will be able to discuss Turkey's role in the Balkans from an academic perspective
Recommended or Required Reading
1.John R. Lampe VE Ulf Brunnbauer, 2021, The Routledge Handbook of Balkan and Southeast European History: Routledge.
2.Aslıhan Iğdır-Akaras, 2024, Ethnic tensions and global response: Disentangling the complexities of the Bosnian War: Lectio Socialis.
3.Wouter Zweers, Vladimir Shopov, Frans-Paul van der Putten, Mirela Petkova , Maarten Lemstra, 2020, China and the EU in the Western Balkans: A zero-sum game?, Clingendael Report.
4.Pierre Krahenbohl, 2000, Conflict in the Balkans: Human tragedies and the challenge to independent humanitarian action, IRRCM.
5.Arolda Elbasani, 2008, EU enlargement in the Western Balkans: strategies of borrowing and inventing,: Journal of Southern Europe and the Balkans Online.
6.Nikola Tomic, 2000, Between Border Dispute and Ethnic Conflict The EU as a Just Mediator in the Serbia-Kosovo Stalemate: GLOBUS Research Papers.
7.Stefan Rohdewald, 2018, Citizenship, Ethnicity, History, Nation, Region, and the Prespa Agreement of June 2018 between Macedonia and Greece: Südosteuropa.
8.Dessie Zagorcheva, 2012, NATO Enlargement and Security in the Balkans: Journal of Regional Security.
9.Paul Stronski and Annie Himes, 2019, Russia’s Game in the Balkans: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
10.Dimitar Bechev, 2012, Turkey in the Balkans: Taking a Broader View: Insight Turkey.
11.Thanos Dokos, Nathalie Tocci, Anja Palm, Can Kasapoğlu, 2018, Greek-Turkish Relations and the Cyprus dispute: impact on Turkey-EU scenarios: FEUTURE.
12.Steven Woehrel, 2009, Future of the Balkans and U.S. Policy Concerns: Congressional Research Service.
13.Sabrina P. Ramet, 2007, The Dissolution of Yugoslavia: Competing Narratives of Resentment and Blame: Südosteuropa.
14.Slobodan Jankoviç Geopolitics of the Balkans: 2019-2021: The Review of International Affairs.
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
Balkan geography and short history
Week 1 - Preparation Work
John R. Lampe VE Ulf Brunnbauer, 2021, The Routledge Handbook of Balkan and Southeast European History.
Week 2 - Theoretical
Geopolitic importance and borders of Balkans
Week 2 - Preparation Work
Slobodan Jankoviç, 2021, Geopolitics of the Balkans: 2019-2021: The Review of International Affairs.
Week 3 - Theoretical
Birth of Balkan Nation-states and historical background
Week 3 - Preparation Work
John R. Lampe VE Ulf Brunnbauer, 2021, The Routledge Handbook of Balkan and Southeast European History.
Week 4 - Theoretical
Disunification of Yugoslavia and independent states in the Balkans
Week 4 - Preparation Work
Sabrina P. Ramet, 2007, The Dissolution of Yugoslavia: Competing Narratives of Resentment and Blame: Südosteuropa.
Week 5 - Theoretical
Ethnik conflicts and humanitarian intervention: The Cases of Bosnia and Kosovo
Week 5 - Preparation Work
Aslıhan Iğdır-Akaras, 2024, Ethnic tensions and global response: Disentangling the complexities of the Bosnian War: Lectio Socialis.
Week 6 - Theoretical
NATO Enlargement and Balkan Security
Week 6 - Preparation Work
Dessie Zagorcheva, 2012, NATO Enlargement and Security in the Balkans: Journal of Regional Security.
Week 7 - Theoretical
EU's Integration Policies towards the Balkans
Week 7 - Preparation Work
Arolda Elbasani, 2008, EU enlargement in the Western Balkans: strategies of borrowing and inventing,: Journal of Southern Europe and the Balkans Online.
Week 8 - Intermediate Exam
Mid-term exam
Week 9 - Intermediate Exam
Mid-term exams
Week 10 - Theoretical
US policy in the Balkans: Strategic interests and military presence
Week 10 - Preparation Work
Slobodan Jankoviç Geopolitics of the Balkans: 2019-2021: The Review of International Affairs.
Week 11 - Theoretical
Russia's Balkan politics
Week 11 - Preparation Work
Paul Stronski and Annie Himes, 2019, Russia’s Game in the Balkans: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Week 12 - Theoretical
China's rising influence in the Balkans: Belt and Road initiative and investments
Week 12 - Preparation Work
Wouter Zweers, Vladimir Shopov, Frans-Paul van der Putten, Mirela Petkova , Maarten Lemstra, 2020, China and the EU in the Western Balkans: A zero-sum game?, Clingendael Report.
Week 13 - Theoretical
Turkiye's Balkans policy: History, identity, economy and soft power
Week 13 - Preparation Work
Dimitar Bechev, 2012, Turkey in the Balkans: Taking a Broader View: Insight Turkey.
Week 14 - Theoretical
Turkiye-Greece relations
Week 14 - Preparation Work
Thanos Dokos, Nathalie Tocci, Anja Palm, Can Kasapoğlu, 2018, Greek-Turkish Relations and the Cyprus dispute: impact on Turkey-EU scenarios: FEUTURE.
Week 15 - Final Exam
Final exam
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Midterm Examination1%40
Final Examination1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory124384
Assignment42320
Individual Work54650
Midterm Examination110111
Final Examination110111
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)176
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
OÇ-1
4
3
4
4
4
4
OÇ-2
3
3
3
5
4
4
OÇ-3
4
3
5
4
4
4
OÇ-4
3
4
5
5
4
4
OÇ-5
4
4
3
3
5
4
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026