| School/Faculty/Institute | Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences | ||||
| Course Code | IR 329 | ||||
| Course Title in English | Geopolitics of Eurasia | ||||
| Course Title in Turkish | Avrasya Jeopolitiği | ||||
| Language of Instruction | EN | ||||
| Type of Course | Flipped Classroom | ||||
| Level of Course | Introductory | ||||
| Semester | Fall | ||||
| Contact Hours per Week |
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| Estimated Student Workload | 132 hours per semester | ||||
| Number of Credits | 5 ECTS | ||||
| Grading Mode | Standard Letter Grade | ||||
| Pre-requisites | None | ||||
| Co-requisites | None | ||||
| Expected Prior Knowledge | None | ||||
| Registration Restrictions | Only Undergraduate Students | ||||
| Overall Educational Objective | To gain a better understanding of geopolitics of Eurasia which has been considered as “heartland” for the world politics focusing especially on Central Asian countries and more specifically the Turkic States since their independence and to analyze the regional cooperation generated among them while exploring its geopolitical and geo-economic implications. | ||||
| Course Description | “Geography is destiny” is a sentence located at the epicentre of the geopolitical discussions. In this framework, Eurasia, described as the "heartland” holds a remarkable geopolitical importance for centuries. Although this importance faced ups and downs from time to time starting from the Silk Road period, it gained a different dimension especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In this respect, Central Asia, and especially the newly independent Turkic States, have begun to reveal the geopolitical and geoeconomic added-values of Eurasia, despite the difficulties they have experienced in their multidimensional rebuilding processes. Together with this, "geopolitics" and "regionalization", as two interrelated concepts, have been recently gaining momentum in Eurasia. As a matter of fact, the effects of regional movements in Eurasia transcend the borders of this geography. In this context, the geopolitical value of the Organization of Turkic States, which is a regional cooperation mechanism, is subject to exploration. In general, this course will examine whether Eurasia, the “heartland", has ceased to be a "chessboard" on which only external forces play, or has transformed into a “strategic basin” where the rules of the game started to be reshaped by the regional actors despite all the vulnerabilities. With this understanding, first of all, geopolitical theories that are in close relations with Eurasia will be discussed in the course. Afterwards, the theoretical framework of regionalization, which reveals the current situation in Eurasia, will be examined. In the part following the theoretical framework, the geopolitical value of the Silk Road until the geographical discoveries will be observed. Subsequently, the historical geopolitical breakings for Eurasia and the great powers closely interested in this geography during the 19th and 20th centuries will be taken up. After the analysis of the political, economic and cultural ramifications of the disintegration of the Soviet Union on Central Asia, the nation, state and identity building processes of the newly independent Turkic States and their transition to the market economy will be scrutinized. In this process, Turkish foreign policy conducted towards the Turkic States and its effects will be examined. Considering that Eurasia has been raised again on the agenda of world politics since the 2000s, developments and regional movements/initiatives whose geopolitical importance extends beyond the borders of Eurasia will be discussed. Here, the Organization of Turkic States, which is an example of a regional cooperation mechanism, will be explored in detail and then China's "belt and road" project, which has an important place in the international agenda, will be taken up. In order to better understand its current geopolitical value, how Eurasia is positioned in the recently adopted vision documents within NATO, the EU and the Organization of Turkic States will also analysed. While doing so, current geopolitical developments in Eurasia will be discussed and these issues will be reviewed in the relevant sections of the course. |
Course Learning Outcomes and CompetencesUpon successful completion of the course, the learner is expected to be able to:1) understand the geopolitical significance of Eurasia throughout history and in the present time; 2) match the theory and practice with regard to the Eurasian politics; 3) evaluate the ongoing regional multidimensional cooperation processes in Eurasia together with their geopolitical implications 4) assess the geopolitical developments in Eurasia and create a multi-layered mindset for their analysis. |
| Program Learning Outcomes/Course Learning Outcomes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1) Adequate knowledge of political history necessary to comprehend and effectively evaluate contemporary Political Science and International Relations issues. | ||||
| 2) Understanding of the fundamental concepts that exist in the fields of social and behavioral sciences as well as the correlation between these concepts | ||||
| 3) Ability to analyze the fundamental theories in the field Political Science and International Relations and to assess their reflections into practice | ||||
| 4) Ability to critically discuss different aspects of theories and developments in Political Science and International Relations both individually and in the course of group work during classroom discussions. | ||||
| 5) Ability to conduct research independently, or with a team, about the developments taking place in the international arena, make foreign policy analyses, develop research-based conflict resolution models, and prepare comprehensive reports using computers and relevant software | ||||
| 6) Ability to take decisions as well as to implement these decisions by using the knowledge about the field and the skills that have been acquired during the undergraduate studies | ||||
| 7) Ability to recognize the relations between scientific thought and ethical behavior; pay attention to being tolerant and properly defend different ideas, ideologies and belief systems | ||||
| 8) Ability to work in international institutions and multicultural environments, with the help of the knowledge on different cultures, societies, political systems as well as linguistic skills acquired during the undergraduate studies | ||||
| 9) Ability to display language skills in English at minimum B2 level enough for debating with colleagues on issues of Political Science and International Relations, and also display language skills in a second foreign language at minimum A2 level enough for communicating in daily life | ||||
| 10) Ability to pursue lifelong learning as well as perform advanced/graduate studies in the field Political Science and International Relations and other social sciences disciplines in academic institutions at home and abroad |
| N None | S Supportive | H Highly Related |
| Program Outcomes and Competences | Level | Assessed by | |
| 1) | Adequate knowledge of political history necessary to comprehend and effectively evaluate contemporary Political Science and International Relations issues. | N | |
| 2) | Understanding of the fundamental concepts that exist in the fields of social and behavioral sciences as well as the correlation between these concepts | H | Participation |
| 3) | Ability to analyze the fundamental theories in the field Political Science and International Relations and to assess their reflections into practice | H | Participation |
| 4) | Ability to critically discuss different aspects of theories and developments in Political Science and International Relations both individually and in the course of group work during classroom discussions. | H | Participation |
| 5) | Ability to conduct research independently, or with a team, about the developments taking place in the international arena, make foreign policy analyses, develop research-based conflict resolution models, and prepare comprehensive reports using computers and relevant software | N | Project |
| 6) | Ability to take decisions as well as to implement these decisions by using the knowledge about the field and the skills that have been acquired during the undergraduate studies | S | HW |
| 7) | Ability to recognize the relations between scientific thought and ethical behavior; pay attention to being tolerant and properly defend different ideas, ideologies and belief systems | H | Participation |
| 8) | Ability to work in international institutions and multicultural environments, with the help of the knowledge on different cultures, societies, political systems as well as linguistic skills acquired during the undergraduate studies | H | Participation |
| 9) | Ability to display language skills in English at minimum B2 level enough for debating with colleagues on issues of Political Science and International Relations, and also display language skills in a second foreign language at minimum A2 level enough for communicating in daily life | H | Participation |
| 10) | Ability to pursue lifelong learning as well as perform advanced/graduate studies in the field Political Science and International Relations and other social sciences disciplines in academic institutions at home and abroad | S | Participation |
| Prepared by and Date | EVRİM GÖRMÜŞ , January 2024 |
| Course Coordinator | EVRİM GÖRMÜŞ |
| Semester | Fall |
| Name of Instructor | Öğr. Gör. PELİN MUSABAY BAKİ |
| Week | Subject |
| 1) | Introduction, course overview and methodology, introduction to geopolitical theories and Eurasia |
| 2) | Analysis of geopolitical theories and regionalization with their implications in Eurasia |
| 3) | Silk Road as a geopolitical area, its historical significance and today’s importance |
| 4) | Attempts of great powers to control Eurasia and geopolitical turning points |
| 5) | Collapse of Soviet Union with its geopolitical and geoeconomic heritages in Central Asia |
| 6) | Emergence of new independent Turkic States, their multidimensional building processes and economic transitions |
| 7) | Turkish Foreign Policy towards the newly independent Turkic States, its tools and outcomes |
| 8) | Mid-term Examination |
| 9) | New geopolitical developments in Eurasia in the 21st century and their effects for the Turkic States as well as Turkic cooperation |
| 10) | Regional movements in Eurasia and Organization of Turkic States as an exemplary regional cooperation mechanism |
| 11) | Belt and Road Project and its implications for Eurasia |
| 12) | Geopolitical importance of Eurasia in new Vision Documents such as NATO, EU and Turkic Vision-2040 |
| 13) | Recent regional geopolitical developments across Eurasia and how to assess them? |
| 14) | Research Presentations |
| 15) | Final Examination/Project/Presentation Period |
| 16) | Final Examination/Project/Presentation Period |
| Required/Recommended Readings | VENIER, Pascal, “Main Theoretical Currents in Geopolitical Thought in the Twentieth Century”, L’Espace Politique, Issue 12, 2010. GÖKMEN, Rana, Geopolitics and the Study of International Relations, Unpublished PhD thesis, METU, 2010, pp.1-68. MACKINDER, H. J. “The Geographical Pivot of History (1904)", the Geographical Journal, No. 4, Vol:231904. FRANKOPAN, Peter, The Silk Roads: A New History of the World, London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015 STARR, Frederick, Lost Enlightenment: Central Asia’s Golden Age From Arab Conquest to Tamerlane, Princeton et Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2013. ACHARYA, Amitav et JOHNSTON, Alastair Iain (éd.), Crafting Cooperation: Regional International Institutions in Comparative Perspective, Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2007. FARRELL, Mary, HETTNE, Björn and LANGENHOVE Luk Van (ed.), Global Politics of Regionalism: Theory and Practice, London: Pluto Press, 2005. TAVARES, Rodrigo, « The State of the Art of Regionalism: The Past, Present and Future of a Discipline », UNU-CRIS Working Papers, W-2004/10, 2004, pp. 1-29. LARUELLE, Marlène and PEYROUSE, Sébastien, Globalizing Central Asia: Geopolitics and Challenges of Economic Development, New York: Routledge, 2013. TERZANI, Tiziano, Goodnight, Mister Lenin: A Journey Through the End of the Soviet Empire, London: Picador, 1993. POMFRET, Richard, « Central Asia after Two Decades of Independence », UN-WIDER Working Paper, No. 2010/53, May 2010, pp. 400-429. KUZIO Taras, « History, Memory and Nation Building in the Post-Soviet Colonial Space», Nationalities Papers, Vol. 30, No. 2, 2002, pp. 241-264. POMFRET, Richard, The Economics of Central Asia, New Jersey: Princeton Press, 1995. TURAN, Gül and TURAN, İlter, « Türkiye’nin Diğer Türk Cumhuriyetleriyle İlişkileri », in Faruk Sönmezoğlu (ed.), Türk Dış Politikasının Analizi, İstanbul:Der Yayınları, 2004, pp.754-780. KURUBAŞ, Erol, « SSCB Sonrası Türk Cumhuriyetlerinde Yeni Uluslaşma Süreçleri Üzerine Bir Değerlendirme »,Uluslararası Hukuk ve Politika Dergisi, Cilt:2, No: 5,2006, pp.112-133. LARUELLE, Marlène and PEYROUSE, Sébastien, « Regional Organisations in Central Asia: Patterns of Interaction, Dilemmas of Efficiency », University of Central Asia’s Institute of Public Policy and Administration Working Paper, No. 10, 2012, pp. 1-56. MUSABAY BAKİ, Pelin, Avrasya’da Bölgesel İşbirliği Sürecinden İşbirliği Mekanizmasına: Türk Konseyi, Bilge Strateji, Volume 6, No 11, Fall 2014, pp. 133-162. KOCAMAN, Ömer "Adjusting to the “New Normal” of Post COVID-19: The Role of Organization of Turkic States in Multilateral Cooperation", PERCEPTIONS: Journal of International Affairs, 26 (2022 ), pp. 189-215. MUSABAY BAKİ, Pelin "Turkic World Vision–2040: A Step Forward for the Resilience of Turkic Cooperation". PERCEPTIONS: Journal of International Affairs, 27 (2022 ), pp. 26-52 Note: Explanation with regard to the format of pre-readings and the additional course materials including videos will be uploaded to the blackboard. | |||||||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Students are expected to effectively use pre-learning materials, then actively participate in class discussion. They need to follow closely the current geopolitical developments in Eurasia and bring out questions on them during the class for brainstorming. The guest speakers with diplomatic background who are experts on the course items will be invited to address the students. The ways and means will be applied to build skills to match the theoretical framework and practical outcomes related to the geopolitics of Eurasia. Teamwork will be encouraged for research and presentations. | |||||||||||||||
| Homework and Projects | Presentation and paper | |||||||||||||||
| Laboratory Work | None | |||||||||||||||
| Computer Use | None | |||||||||||||||
| Other Activities | None | |||||||||||||||
| Assessment Methods |
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| Course Administration |
gormuse@mef.edu.tr 02123953600 Attendance and active participation are required. There would be no late presentations and make up exams unless medical report provided. MEF university values academic integrity. Therefore, all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the code of student conduct and disciplinary procedures The University requires honesty of all its members in their academic work. Students are also expected to strictly adhere to the following rules and regulations regarding academic honesty. Plagiarism and cheating constitute major violations of academic honesty. Plagiarism is the failure to acknowledge the source of information gathered in the preparation of class and written work. Submitting papers of others as your own, using sentences or paragraphs from another author without the proper acknowledgement of the original author, insufficient acknowledgement of the consulted works in the bibliography, all constitute plagiarism. Copying work from others or giving and receiving answers/information during exams either in written or oral form constitutes cheating. Any improper behavior, academic dishonesty or plagiarism is subject to the YOK Disciplinary Regulation. |
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| Activity | No/Weeks | Hours | Calculation | ||||
| No/Weeks per Semester | Preparing for the Activity | Spent in the Activity Itself | Completing the Activity Requirements | ||||
| Course Hours | 14 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 70 | ||
| Project | 2 | 24 | 2 | 52 | |||
| Midterm(s) | 1 | 10 | 10 | ||||
| Total Workload | 132 | ||||||
| Total Workload/25 | 5.3 | ||||||
| ECTS | 5 | ||||||