| School/Faculty/Institute | Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences | ||||
| Course Code | IR 332 | ||||
| Course Title in English | Politics of Central Asia | ||||
| Course Title in Turkish | Orta Asya Politikaları | ||||
| Language of Instruction | EN | ||||
| Type of Course | Flipped Classroom | ||||
| Level of Course | Intermediate | ||||
| Semester | Spring | ||||
| 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 | ||||
| Expected Prior Knowledge | None | ||||
| Co-requisites | None | ||||
| Registration Restrictions | Only Undergraduate Students | ||||
| Overall Educational Objective | To gain a better understanding of politics of Central Asian countries and their regional dynamics which have been gaining further importance in world politics. | ||||
| Course Description | Central Asia has been always at the epicentre of the world politics. After gaining their independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Central Asian states found their place in the international arena as independent and sovereign countries. However their Soviet legacy did not stop to shape their political and economic destiny. Now, it is more than 30 years that these countries have joined the international community. In the course of this process, it is important to examine their political and economic development while touching upon their common challenges such as territorial conflicts, problems of connectivity, water management, climate change, terrorism, etc. At the same time, if possessing generous hydrocarbon resources is a “curse or blessing” for most of these countries remains an important question to take up. The fact that this region neighbours Afghanistan which has been one of the most unstable country in the world since decades, turns it more delicate in terms of security issues. In this regard, security raises as an issue yielding outcomes going beyond the borders of the region. The relations of Central Asian countries with such as USA, EU, China, Russia, and India, Iran and Turkey and their positioning in the regional organisations are also worthy to be touched upon in the examination of the region with a comprehensive approach. On the other hand, the soft power instruments of Central Asian countries in a wide range of cultural issues from literature to gastronomy are of utmost significance to understand better this region. With this understanding, this course will focus on the political, economic and cultural dynamics of Central Asian countries, namely Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as well as their relations with each other and the outside world. While doing so, taking into consideration of its regional ties, Azerbaijan will be also considered as an important player for the region. | ||||
| Course Description in Turkish | Orta Asya her zaman dünya siyasetinin merkez üssü olmuştur. Sovyetler Birliği'nin dağılmasıyla bağımsızlıklarını kazanan Orta Asya devletleri uluslararası camiada yerlerini bağımsız ve egemen ülkeler olarak almışlardır. Ancak Sovyet mirası, siyasi ve ekonomik kaderlerini şekillendirmeyi bırakmamıştır. Günümüzde, sözkonusu ülkelerin uluslararası platformda yer almasının üzerinden 30 yılı aşkın bir süre geçmiştir. Bu süreçte, sözkonusu ülkelerin siyasi ve ekonomik gelişimlerini, bölgesel çatışmalar, bağlantısallık problemleri, su yönetimi, iklim değişikliği, terörizm gibi ortak sorunlarıyla birlikte analiz etmek önem arzetmektedir. Aynı zamanda, bu ülkelerin bir çoğu için zengin hidrokarbon kaynaklarına sahip olmak bir “lanet mi yoksa nimet mi” sorusunu da irdelemek gerekmektedir. On yıllardır dünyanın en istikrarsız ülkelerinden biri olan Afganistan'a komşu olması, bu bölgeyi güvenlik konuları açısından daha kırılgan hale getirmektedir. Dolayısıyla güvenlik konusu, sonuçları bölgenin sınırlarını aşan bir şekilde karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Bununla birlikte, ABD, AB, Çin, Rusya, Hindistan, İran ve Türkiye gibi aktörlerle bölge ülkelerinin ilişkileri ve bölgesel örgütlerdeki konumları üzerinde durulması bölgenin kapsayıcı bir bakış açısıyla incelenmesi bakımından önemlidir. Öte yandan, bölge analizinde edebiyattan gastronomiye kadar kültürel konularda geniş bir yelpazede Orta Asya ülkelerinin yumuşak güç araçlarının mercek altına alınması bölgeyi daha iyi anlamak için ehemmiyet teşkil etmektedir. Bu anlayışla, bu ders Orta Asya ülkeleri Kazakistan, Özbekistan, Türkmenistan, Kırgızistan ve Tacikistan'ın siyasi, ekonomik ve kültürel dinamiklerinin yanı sıra birbirleriyle ve dış dünyayla olan ilişkilerine odaklanacaktır. Bunu yaparken Azerbaycan da, bölgesel bağları dikkate alınarak bölge için önemli bir oyuncu olarak nitelendirilecektir. |
Course Learning Outcomes and CompetencesUpon successful completion of the course, the learner is expected to be able to:1) understand political and economic development of Central Asian countries since their independence; 2) comprehend individual and common challenges that Central Asian countries face 3) valuate relations of the Central Asia countries with each other and the outside world 4) assess the positioning of Central Asian states in regional and world politics |
| Program Learning Outcomes/Course Learning Outcomes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1) Thorough knowledge of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology. | ||||
| 2) Understanding of and ability to apply essential research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and data interpretation. | ||||
| 3) Competence to use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry and a scientific approach to solving problems related to behavior and mental processes. | ||||
| 4) Understanding and ability to apply psychological principles, skills and values in personal, social, and organizational contexts. | ||||
| 5) Ability to weigh evidence, to tolerate ambiguity, and to reflect other values that underpin psychology as a discipline. | ||||
| 6) Internalization and dissemination of professional ethical standards. | ||||
| 7) Demonstration of competence in information technologies, and the ability to use computer and other technologies for purposes related to the pursuit of knowledge in psychology and the broader social sciences. | ||||
| 8) Skills to communicate the knowledge of psychological science effectively, in a variety of formats, in both Turkish and in English (in English, at least CEFR B2 level). | ||||
| 9) Recognition, understanding, and respect for the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity. | ||||
| 10) Recognition for the need for, and the skills to pursue, lifelong learning, inquiry, and self-improvement. | ||||
| 11) Ability to formulate critical hypotheses based on psychological theory and literature, and design studies to test those hypotheses. | ||||
| 12) Ability to acquire knowledge independently, and to plan one’s own learning. | ||||
| 13) Demonstration of advanced competence in the clarity and composition of written work and presentations. |
| N None | S Supportive | H Highly Related |
| Program Outcomes and Competences | Level | Assessed by | |
| 1) | Thorough knowledge of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology. | N | |
| 2) | Understanding of and ability to apply essential research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and data interpretation. | N | |
| 3) | Competence to use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry and a scientific approach to solving problems related to behavior and mental processes. | H | Exam,HW,Participation |
| 4) | Understanding and ability to apply psychological principles, skills and values in personal, social, and organizational contexts. | N | |
| 5) | Ability to weigh evidence, to tolerate ambiguity, and to reflect other values that underpin psychology as a discipline. | N | |
| 6) | Internalization and dissemination of professional ethical standards. | N | |
| 7) | Demonstration of competence in information technologies, and the ability to use computer and other technologies for purposes related to the pursuit of knowledge in psychology and the broader social sciences. | N | |
| 8) | Skills to communicate the knowledge of psychological science effectively, in a variety of formats, in both Turkish and in English (in English, at least CEFR B2 level). | N | |
| 9) | Recognition, understanding, and respect for the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity. | S | Participation |
| 10) | Recognition for the need for, and the skills to pursue, lifelong learning, inquiry, and self-improvement. | S | HW,Participation |
| 11) | Ability to formulate critical hypotheses based on psychological theory and literature, and design studies to test those hypotheses. | N | |
| 12) | Ability to acquire knowledge independently, and to plan one’s own learning. | S | Exam,HW |
| 13) | Demonstration of advanced competence in the clarity and composition of written work and presentations. | H | Exam,HW |
| Prepared by and Date | EVRİM GÖRMÜŞ , January 2024 |
| Course Coordinator | EVRİM GÖRMÜŞ |
| Semester | Spring |
| Name of Instructor | Öğr. Gör. PELİN MUSABAY BAKİ |
| Week | Subject |
| 1) | Introduction, course overview and methodology, naming and defining Central Asia |
| 2) | Historical background, Soviet heritage and independence process of Central Asian countries |
| 3) | Common geo-political, geo-economic and geo-environmental challenges in Central Asia |
| 4) | Kazakhstan as land of Great Steppe |
| 5) | Uzbekistan as heart of historical Silk Road |
| 6) | Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as upstream actors |
| 7) | Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan as lands of energy and fire |
| 8) | Mid-term Examination |
| 9) | From border disputes to water scarcity, topics of potential conflicts in Central Asia |
| 10) | Security challenges in Central Asia as the nearest neighbouring region to Afghanistan |
| 11) | Role of regional and global actors in Central Asia within the dilemma of cooperation or competition |
| 12) | Central Asia’s soft power instruments in a wide range of cultural issues from literature to gastronomy |
| 13) | Central Asia in today’s world politics, its political and economic strengths as well as limitations |
| 14) | Research Presentations |
| Required/Recommended Readings | 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. MONTGOMERY, David (ed.), Central Asia: Contexts for Understanding, Pittsburg: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2022. POMFRET, Richard, The Central Asian Economies in the Twenty-First Century Paving a New Silk, New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 2019. LARUELLE, Marlene (Ed.), The Central Asia–Afghanistan Relationship From Soviet Intervention to the Silk Road Initiatives, Lexington: Lexington Books, 2020. NOURZHANOV, Kirill and PEYROUSE, Sebastien, Soft Power in Central Asia The Politics of Influence and Seduction, Lexington: Lexington Books, 2020. RASHID, Ahmed, The Resurgence of Central Asia: Islam or Nationalism?, New York: New York Review Book, 2017. MARAT, Erica , “Introduction: 30 years of Central Asian studies – the best is yet to come”, Central Asian Survey, 40:4, 2021, pp. 477-482. PEÑA-RAMOS, José Antonio, BAGUS, Philipp and FURSOVA, Daria, “Water Conflicts in Central Asia: Some Recommendations on the Non-Conflictual Use of Water”, Sustainability, 13(6), 2021, https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063479 SORBELLO, P. “Oil and Gas Political Economy in Central Asia: The International Perspective”, in Raszewski, S. (eds), The International Political Economy of Oil and Gas. International Political Economy Series. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62557-7_8 KASSYMBEKOVA, B., and CHOKOBAEVA, A, “Writing Soviet History of Central Asia. Frameworks, Challenges, Prospects”, Central Asian Survey, 40 (4), 2021, pp. 483–503. MİRZİBAEV, A., AHMED, M., WERNER, J. et al. “Rangelands of Central Asia: challenges and opportunities”, Journal of Arid Land 8, 93–108 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-015-0057-5 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. KAINAZAROV, Baktybek, “Competition of world powers in Central Asia”, Political Science Review, Issue 2, 2019, pp. 67-77. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Computer Use | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other Activities | |||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | ||||||