Information Package
baskent.edu.tr

Program of Political Science and International Relations (English)

POLI346

CIVIL SOCIETY AND DEMOCRACY IN TURKEY

Course Code
POLI346
Semester
-
Theory+Practice
3 + 0
ECTS
5
Course TypeElective Course
Course LevelBachelor's Degree
Year of Study-
Semester-
ECTS5
Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, the students;

  1. understand the reasons behind the increasing popularity of civil society since the late 1980s and especially 1990s.
  2. learn the different coneptualizations of civil society in classical and modern political thought.
  3. grasp the main fault lines of the debate on civil society both in Turkey and in the world.
  4. see where these debates turn into a vicious circle.
  5. comprehend the main tenets of different political analyses regarding the historical background of state- (civil) society relations in Turkey.
  6. understand why strong state-weak civil society dichotomy is often taken as the most important socio-political problem in Turkey
Mode of DeliveryFace to face
PrerequisitesNo
Recommended Optional Programme ComponentsNo recommended optional programme components.
Course DescriptionThis course is designed to evaluate the development of civil society organizations in Turkey in a critical way. The course consists of three parts. In the first part of the course (weeks 2 and 4), the historical development of civil society and its relationship with democracy will be reviewed. The second part (4 and 10 weeks) focus on Turkey, the development of conceptual and practical level of civil society will be discussed. In the third part, students will present the reports that they have prepared about the non-governmental organizations they have observed voluntarily since the beginning of the semester.
Course Contents
WEEK TOPICS
1st Week Introduction to the course
2nd Week Different conceptualizations of civil society I: Foundations
3rd Week Liberal-Individualist-Pluralist Conception of civil society
4th Week Different conceptualizations of civil society II: Republican
5th Week Marxist conception of civil society
6th Week Background to understand civil society in Turkey
7th Week Midterm Exam
8th Week Looking at the dynamics of civil society in Turkey I: Strong state-weak civil society
9th Week Looking at the dynamics of civil society in Turkey II: From the perspective of rational democracy
10th Week Looking at the dynamics of civil society in Turkey III: From the perspective of left
11th Week Looking at the dynamics of civil society in Turkey IV: From the perspective of Islamism
12th Week Looking at the dynamics of civil society in Turkey V: From the perspective of gender
13th Week Presentations
14th Week Presentations and Overview
Recommended or Required ReadingBeckman, Björn. "Explaining Democratization: Notes on the Concept of Civil Society" Civil Society, Democracy and the Muslim World, 1997.
Bora, Tanıl "Professional chambers and non-voluntary organizations: the intersection of public, civil and national," in Civil Society in the Grip of Nationalism, Stefanos Yerasimos, Gunter Seufert and Karin Vorhoff (eds.), (Turkey: Orient-Institut, 2000) pp. 99-142.
Barkey, Henry J. "The Struggles of "Strong" State," Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 54, #1, Fall 2000, pp. 87-105.
Chandhoke, Neera. "What the Hell is Civil Society?", www.opendemocracy.net.
Çaha, Ömer. "Civil Society in Western Europe and Ottoman Empire: A Comparative Perspective", http//www.liberal-dt.org.tr/modules/printer.php?art=250
Erdoğan, Necmi. "Kemalist non-governmental organizations: troubled elites in defence of a sacred heritage," in Civil Society in the Grip of Nationalism, Stefanos Yerasimos, Gunter Seufert and Karin Vorhoff (eds.), (Turkey: Orient-Institut, 2000), pp. 251-282.
Ehrenberg, John Civil Society, The Critical History of an Idea (New York and London: New York University Press, 1999).
Flyvbjerg. Bent "Habermas and Foucault: Thinkers for Civil Society?" British Journal of Sociology Vol.49 Issue 2 June 1998.
Göle, Nilüfer "Authoritarian Secularism and Islamist Politics, The Case of Turkey," in Civil Society in the Middle East, August R. Norton (ed.) (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1996), pp. 16-43.
Heper, Metin. The State Tradition in Turkey.
Goran Hyden, "Building Civil Society at the Turn of the Millenium," in Beyond Prince and Merchant, Citizen Participation and the Rise of Civil Society, John Burbidge (ed.) (New York: Pact Publications, 1998), pp. 17-46.
Kadıoğlu, Ayşe "Civil Society, Islam and Democracy in Turkey: A Study of Three Islamic NGOs," The Muslim World, Vol. 95, #1, January 2005, pp. 23-43.
Kalaycıoğlu, Ersin "State and Civil Society in Turkey: Democracy, Development and Protest"in Civil Society in The Muslim World, Amyn B. Sajoo (ed.) (London, New York: I.B. Tauris Publishers, 2002), pp. 247-271.
Kardam, Nüket "Expanding Gender Accountability? Women's Organizations and the State in Turkey," International Journal of Organizational Theory and Behavior, Vol.2, #1&2, 1999, pp. 167-197.
Kasaba Reşat ve Sibel Bozdoğan, "Turkey at a Crossroad," Journal of International Affairs, Vol.54, #1, Fall 2000, pp. 1-20.
Keyman E. Fuat and Ahmet İçduygu, "Globalization, Civil Society and Citizenship in Turkey: Actors, Boundaries and Discourses," Citizenship Studies, Vol. 7, #2, 2003.
Keyman E. Fuat. "Modernity, Democracy and Civil Society in Turkey" in Environmentalism in Turkey: Between Democracy and Development. Ashgate, 2005
Keyman E. Fuat and Ahmet İçduygu, "Citizenship, Identity, and the Question of Democracy in Turkey" in Citizenship in a Global World: European Questions and Turkish Experiences eds. E. Fuat Keyman and Ahmet İçduygu. London, New York: Routledge, 2005.
Küçükömer, İdris. Sivil Toplum Yazıları Bağlam Yayınları.
McLaverty, Peter "Civil society and democracy," Contemporary Politics, Vol. 8, No. 4, 2002, pp. 304-317.
Mardin, Şerif "Civil Society and Islam," in Civil Society, Theory, History, Comparison, John A. Hall (ed.) (Cambridge : Polity Press, 1995), pp. 279-299.
Mouffe Chantal. Return of the Political. London ,New York: Verso, 1993.
Mouffe Chantal. The Democratic Paradox. London, New York: Verso, 2000
Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
  • Lecture
  • Discussion
  • Presentation
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Quantity Percentage (%)
Mid-term 1 30
Assignment 1 20
Project 1 10
Total(%) 60
Contribution of In-term Studies to Overall Grade(%) 60
Contribution of Final Examination to Overall Grade(%) 40
Total(%) 100
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration (Hour) Total Workload (Hour)
Midterm exam 1 1 1
Preparation for Quiz
Individual or group work 14 2 28
Preparation for Final exam 1 30 30
Course hours 14 3 42
Preparation for Midterm exam 1 20 20
Laboratory (including preparation)
Final exam 1 1.5 1.5
Homework 1 15 15
Project 1 13 13
Total Work Load150.5
Total Work Load / 30 (h)5.01
ECTS Credit of the Course5
Language of InstructionEnglish
Work Placement(s)No

Programme Qualifications / Learning Outcomes

LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
K1
K2
K3
K4
K5 X
K6 X X X
K7 X X X
K8 X
K9
K10
K11
K12
K13