PSI.202 Course Syllabus
Course Description: The course covers the period from the mid-19th century to the present day. It aims at giving a general perspective on major historical events and at providing a reliable background for the Political Science and International Relations students on the changes, developments, and breakthroughs in politics, society, culture, and economics of the time period covered in the course.
Lecturer: Dr. Cem Karadeli; Genel Sekreterlik, Rektörlük 1st floor. To reach, use 284 4500/134 and/or karadeli@cankaya.edu.tr.
Required Course Reading: Chambers, Mortimer et al., The Western Experience, Ninth Edition, Boston, US: 2007.
Weekly Course Schedule:
Week 1: General Introduction. Industrial Revolution and its social consequences.
Week 2: The effects of the Industrial Revolution and French Revolution on politics. Wave of Industrialisation and Europeanization: Meiji Restoration in Japan, Russian reforms, the Ottoman Tanzimat.
Week 3: Imperialism’s Three Stages and the fight for Africa and the Middle East and World War One. Announcement of Term Paper Subjects and explanations on term paper preparation.
Week 4: World War I: Causes, the War, and its consequences. The 1917 Russian Revolution.
Week 5: Post-War World: New states, New political orientations, and new conditions. The League of Nations and its working mechanism.
Week 6: Crisis in Europe and its remedies: Fascism, Social State, and change. The Great Depression.
Week 7: World War II: causes, the War, and alliances.
Week 8: MIDTERM WEEK.
Week 9: End of World War II and the emergence of a new economic and political order: IMF, IBRD, Marshall Plan, the beginning of the Cold War.
Week 10: The Cold War part 1: the German Question, the Chinese Revolution, and the Korean War. Announcement of Midterm Exam results.
Week 11: The Cold War part 2: the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the Détente, and the Petroleum Crisis. Deadline for term papers.
Week 12: The Cold War part 3: The Iranian Revolution, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and the Gorbachev years in the USSR.
Week 13: The Cold War part 4: End of the Cold War, the New World Order, 9/11 and the War Against Terror. Announcement of Term Paper grades.
Week 14: General evaluation and discussion concerning the final exams.
Exams, Grades, Attendance, Other Issues: There will be a midterm and a final examination, as well as a term paper. Attendance is not a must, but students are encouraged to take park in the classes as the lectures tend to differ from textbook coverage.
Students are expected to behave according to the rules and regulations of the university as well as the basic rules of courtesy. Note that cheating and plagiarism are two very serious offences with very serious punishment.