ADM4111 EUROPEAN POLITICAL THOUGHT

Course Code:3104111
METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week):3 (3.00 - 0.00)
ECTS Credit:6.0
Department:Political Science and Public Adm.
Language of Instruction:English
Level of Study:Undergraduate
Course Coordinator:Assoc.Prof.Dr. ASLI ÇIRAKMAN DEVECİ, Assoc.Prof.Dr. NİLAY YAVUZ
Offered Semester:Fall Semesters.

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, the student will learn:

  • To analyze and understand the major political ideologies and philosophical movements of the 19th and 20th centuries in Europe.
  • To examine the development of critical thinking within the context of European political thought and its impact on shaping diverse conceptions of European modernity.
  • To critically evaluate primary texts and secondary sources related to European political thought, focusing on key thinkers and their contributions.
  • To foster skills in critical reading, reflective analysis, and scholarly discussion through active engagement with course materials.

Course Content

This course is an attempt to explore the main currents of 19. and 20. century political thought in Europe or on Europe. We will particularly focus on how critical thinking has developed and led to diverse conceptions of European modernity in the eyes of various thinkers of these two centuries. This course is a reading intensive seminar and your active participation is the key to its success and your success. This means doing the readings (carefully and reflectively) attending every class period and participating in class discussion.


Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Identify and describe the major currents of political thought in 19th and 20th century Europe, including liberalism, socialism, conservatism, and nationalism. Analyze and interpret primary texts and secondary literature to understand the evolution of critical thinking and its influence on conceptions of European modernity. Evaluate the arguments and perspectives of key thinkers such as Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, Hannah Arendt, and Michel Foucault, among others, in relation to European political thought. Engage in informed and meaningful class discussions, drawing connections between historical context, philosophical concepts, and contemporary relevance. Demonstrate proficiency in critical reading and reflective analysis through written assignments, including essays and critical reflections on course readings. Synthesize course materials to construct well-supported arguments and interpretations of European political thought, demonstrating intellectual depth and analytical rigor.


Program Outcomes Matrix

Level of Contribution
#Program Outcomes0123
1Ability to reach the information they need in their daily lives, and to interpret it
2Being in command of the basic concepts of law
3Understanding the political, economical, and social transformations that occur in a wide range of areas including local and international levels
4Defining and solving problems encountered in political, social, and economic life
5Being conscious, effective and rational citizens who can comprehend the transformations taking place in Turkey and in the world today
6Being professionals who can operate as productive participants in any public organization
7Having the knowledge about how public organizations function and how their decision making processes and mechanisms work
8Developing original solutions to the problems faced in relation to their own area of interest
9Critical thinking ability
10Being in command of the interdisciplinary approaches

0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution