| Course Code | Semester | Course Name | T/P/L | Type of Course | Language of Course | ECTS Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODBU0009 | FALL/SPRING | INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY | 2/0/0 | ENGLISH | ENGLISH | 2 |
TEACHING METHOD
Face-to-face.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The course aims to provide a fundamental conceptual framework for political philosophy and to increase awareness of political traditions, rights, responsibilities, and citizenship.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Identify and explain key concepts and major thinkers in the history of political philosophy.
2. Analyze the historical development of political ideas from antiquity to modernity.
3. Evaluate the role of morality, ethics, and education in political life through comparative analysis of foundational philosophical texts.
4. Explain the philosophical foundations of modern politics and political institutions.
5. Compare and assess the coherence and philosophical justification of major political arguments.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
| Week | Subjects |
|---|---|
| 1 | What is political philosophy? |
| 2 | The Classical World: Republic — Plato |
| 3 | Virtuous life and the principles of politics — Aristotle |
| 4 | The formation of politics through education — Niccolò Machiavelli |
| 5 | Social contract theories — Thomas Hobbes |
| 6 |
Civil society. Natural rights and social contract — John Locke |
| 7 |
The Enlightenment, questions and answers — Jean-Jacques Rousseau |
| 8 | Midterm Exam |
| 9 | Enlightenment ideals — Immanuel Kant & G.W.F. Hegel |
| 10 | The Age of revolutions and revolutionary ideas — Karl Marx |
| 11 | The Idea of democratic revolution — Alexis de Tocqueville |
| 12 | Totalitarianism — Hannah Arendt |
| 13 | Modern liberalism and fair distribution of resources — John Rawls |
| 14 | Enlightenment as an unfinished Project — Jürgen Habermas |
| Final Exam | |
COURSE ASSESSMENT
| Criteria Types | Quantity | (Effects on Grading, %) |
|---|---|---|
| Midterm Exam | 1 | 30 |
| Attendance | 1 | 10 |
| Final Exam | 1 | 60 |
** The weighting of assessment criteria may vary depending on the instructor. The assessment ratios for this course are announced at the beginning of the semester by the course instructor. Grade calculations are based on the criteria announced by the instructor for the course.
COURSE RESPONSIBLE LECTURER
Lecturer Dr. Tuğrul ÖZKARACALAR
t.ozkaracalar@iku.edu.tr
