Information Package / Course Catalogue
Contemporary Fiscal Issues
Course Code: MLY403
Course Type: Required
Couse Group: First Cycle (Bachelor's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 3
Prt.: 0
Credit: 3
Lab: 0
ECTS: 5
Objectives of the Course

The aim of this course is to enable students to follow current economic and fiscal issues at both national and international levels, and to develop analytical and critical discussion skills on these topics.

Course Content

Topics covered include production structure and growth, employment, inflation, public deficits, the tax system and income distribution, informal economy, fiscal and monetary policies, balance of payments, and foreign trade. Each week, students present brief research-based analyses on selected topics, enhancing their analytical thinking and oral communication skills.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Lec. Gülizar Seda YILMAZ
Learning Outcomes
1.To be able to identify and analyze current fiscal and economic issues in the Turkish economy.
2.To be able to demonstrate basic knowledge on core topics such as inflation, employment, tax system, public deficits, foreign trade, and monetary policy.
3.To be able to conduct individual and group research on current fiscal issues and present findings both orally and in written form.
4.To be able to critically evaluate economic developments and fiscal policies.
5.To be able to develop original opinions based on academic sources and express these opinions effectively in discussions.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Yeldan, E. (2020). “Growth Strategies and Structural Constraints in the Turkish Economy.” Journal of Economics and Society, 112, 12–18.
2.Ercan, H. (2021). “The Problem of Low Value-Added Growth in Turkey.” Journal of Economics-TEK, 10(1), 27–44.
3.Tunalı, İ. (2010). “Transformation of the Labor Market in Turkey and Policy Approaches.” TÜSİAD Report, No: T/2010-02/501.
4.Göktaş, Ö. & Özer, M. (2022). “Youth Unemployment Problem: The Case of Turkey.” Anadolu University Journal of Social Sciences, 22(2), 133–152.
5.Alparslan, A. (2022). “Main Determinants of Inflation in Turkey: An Empirical Analysis.” Finance, Politics & Economic Commentary, 59(691), 23–42.
6.Saygılı, H. & Cihan, C. (2021). “Turkey’s Experience with Anti-Inflation Policies and Policy Alternatives.” CBRT Publication.
7.Akyüz, Y. (2019). “Budget Deficits and Public Debt in Turkey: Trends and Risks.” Journal of Economics, 531, 45–60.
8.Alkin, E. (2005). “The Effects of Taxes on Income Distribution: The Case of Turkey.” Journal of Public Finance, 149, 25–42.
9.Erdoğan, M. (2021). “The Informal Economy in Turkey: Causes, Consequences and Policy Responses.” Journal of Public Finance, 180, 85–104.
10.Coşkun, Y. & Küçük, H. (2022). “The Central Bank’s Policy Reaction Function and Effectiveness of Monetary Policy.” Journal of Economics-TEK, 11(1), 67–90.
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
Introduction and methodology: Course structure, presentation principles, evaluation criteria, and access to resources.
Week 2 - Theoretical
Issues Related to Production Structure and Growth in Turkey: Growth performance, transformation in production patterns, and structural vulnerabilities in the Turkish economy.
Week 3 - Theoretical
Employment Issues in Turkey: Types of unemployment, structural problems in the labor market, and youth and female employment.
Week 4 - Theoretical
Inflation Problem in Turkey I: Causes of inflation, underlying dynamics of price increases, and historical trends.
Week 5 - Theoretical
Inflation Problem in Turkey II: Anti-inflationary policies and the effectiveness of monetary and fiscal policy instruments.
Week 6 - Theoretical
Issues Related to Public Deficits in Turkey: Central government budget, borrowing, interest payments, and fiscal sustainability.
Week 7 - Theoretical
Problems in the Turkish Tax System and Income Inequality: Tax justice, reliance on indirect taxation, and inequality.
Week 8 - Theoretical
The Informal Economy in Turkey: Scope, causes, and economic and fiscal consequences.
Week 9 - Theoretical
Fiscal Policy Issues in Turkey: Fiscal discipline, public expenditure policies, and debates on efficiency and effectiveness.
Week 10 - Theoretical
Monetary Policy Issues in Turkey I: Instrumental independence of the Central Bank, interest rate policy, and inflation targeting.
Week 11 - Theoretical
Monetary Policy Issues in Turkey II: Exchange rate stability, reserve management, credibility, and predictability.
Week 12 - Theoretical
Balance of Payments, Exchange Rate and Foreign Trade Issues in Turkey: Current account deficit, exchange rate volatility, and the transformation of export structure.
Week 13 - Theoretical
Evaluation of Recent Developments and Economic Outlook: Discussion on the overall outlook of the Turkish economy in light of recent macroeconomic data.
Week 14 - Theoretical
General Review and Semester Summary: Recap of all topics and evaluation of student contributions.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Midterm Examination1%40
Final Examination1%30
Attending Lectures1%30
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory143384
Midterm Examination112113
Final Examination124125
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)122
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
PÇ-9
PÇ-10
OÇ-1
5
5
3
3
5
3
5
5
2
4
OÇ-2
5
5
3
3
5
5
5
5
2
4
OÇ-3
4
4
4
5
3
3
3
4
2
2
OÇ-4
5
5
3
4
4
2
5
5
2
3
OÇ-5
3
3
2
4
4
3
3
5
2
2
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026