Information Package / Course Catalogue - Adnan Menderes University

General Information Unit Staff Academic Information Programme Outcomes Course Structure Diagram Contact Information

Person Responsible for Information Package

Lec. Ceren ŞAKAR

Lec. Çağdaş GÖRÜCÜ

Lec. Hüseyin GÜL

Lec. Murat ARTUÇ

Lec. Süleyman DAL

Res. Assist. Levent ODABAŞI

Introduction to International Relations

Course Code	: ULU152
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 primary objective of this course is to introduce students to the core concepts, theoretical approaches, and historical turning points of the discipline of International Relations. The course aims to provide students with the foundational skills to analyze the structure of global politics, comprehend the roles of state and non-state actors, and evaluate contemporary global developments through a scientific methodology.

Course Content

The Introduction to International Relations course covers the historical evolution of the discipline, its core theories (Realism, Liberalism, Marxism, Constructivism, Feminism), and the fundamental elements of the international system. Key concepts such as power, sovereignty, national interest, international law, war, peace, globalization, and international organizations will be examined. Additionally, to facilitate theoretical understanding, introductory debates on contemporary global crises and the future of the international system will be included.

Name of Lecturer(s)

Learning Outcomes

1.	To be able to acquire a more scientific evaluation in the light of today's international relations
2.	To be able to compare the roles of the actors in IR by learning the roles of states, organizations and the individuals in the discipline of IR.
3.	To be able to evaluate the events in IR by a dialectical method
4.	To be able to compare the international events by analyzing the different theoretical approaches in the discipline of IR
5.	To be able to have background knowledge to understand further department courses in a better way.

Recommended or Required Reading

1.	Şaban Kardaş, Ali Balcı (eds.), Uluslararası İlişkilere Giriş: Tarih, Teori, Kavram ve Konular, Küre Yayınları.
2.	Viotti, Paul R. & Kauppi, Mark V. (2020). Uluslararası İlişkiler ve Dünya Siyaseti, Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık.
3.	Arı, Tayyar (2022). Uluslararası İlişkiler Teorileri: Çatışma, Hegemonya, İşbirliği, MKM Yayıncılık.
4.	Sönmezoğlu, Faruk (2021). Uluslararası İlişkilere Giriş, Der Yayınları.

Weekly Detailed Course Contents

Week 1 - Theoretical

Introduction to IR: Actors, Sovereignty, and Anarchy

Week 2 - Theoretical

History of IR: Systemic Transformations from Westphalia to the 20th Century

Week 3 - Theoretical

The Era of World Wars and the Birth of the Discipline (The Idealism-Realism Debate)

Week 4 - Theoretical

The Cold War and Beyond: Transition from Bipolarity to Multipolarity

Week 5 - Theoretical

The Concept of Power in IR: Hard Power, Soft Power, and Smart Power

Week 6 - Theoretical

Traditional Theories-I: Realism and Its Varieties (Classical, Structural, Defensive/Offensive)

Week 7 - Theoretical

Traditional Theories-II: Liberalism, Institutionalism, and Democratic Peace Theory

Week 8 - Theoretical

Critical Approaches: Marxism, Dependency School, and World-Systems Theory

Week 9 - Theoretical

Contemporary Approaches: Social Constructivism and Feminism

Week 10 - Theoretical

Globalization and the Future of the Nation-State

Week 11 - Theoretical

International Organizations and Global Governance: UN, NATO, and EU

Week 12 - Theoretical

The Transformation of International Security: New Wars, Terrorism, and Humanitarian Intervention

Week 13 - Theoretical

Global Issues and Crises: Climate Change, Migration Movements, and Health Security

Week 14 - Theoretical

Digitalization and Global Politics: Cyber Space and Algorithm Diplomacy

Week 15 - Final Exam

Final Exams

Week 16 - Final Exam