ADM4150 MODERNITY AND THE IDEA OF FREEDOM
| Course Code: | 3104150 |
| 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: | Assist.Prof.Dr REŞİDE ÖMÜR BİRLER |
| Offered Semester: | Spring Semesters. |
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, the student will learn:
- basic concepts related to political theory in general, the concept of freedom in particular
-the relationship between regimes and politics of rights
-historical development of the modern understanding of freedom
Course Content
This course is a senior seminar in political theory. The purpose of this course is to explore one of the key questions of the modern age: the question of freedom.
The centrality of the notion of freedom and its definitive role in the political arena is undisputable. Nonetheless freedom appears as a specifically modern question. From the 17th century onward thinkers, who formed the grand narrative of Western European political thought, have dealt with the question of how to define political freedom: Is it the freedom of the individual (Hobbes) or the freedom in harmony with the general will (Rousseau)? Does the concept of freedom change from one culture to another (Tocqueville) or should it defined by the universal assumptions of political liberalism (Mill)? Can human mind conceive freedom a priori (Kant) or does freedom reveal itself in human history (Hegel)? Is political freedom tantamount to human emancipation (Marx) or should one consider different/unconventional paths to pursue political freedom (Derrida)? The exploration of such dynamic and differing approaches to the question of freedom through the reading of political theory texts, is one of the primary aims of this course.
Course Learning Outcomes
Students who succeed in this course will be able to:
- analyze main issues related to the modern political theory
- identify the differences between the concepts of positive and negative freedom
- discuss the relationship between modern ideologies and their understanding of political rights
- critically evaluate different approaches to human rights
Program Outcomes Matrix
| Level of Contribution | |||||
| # | Program Outcomes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1 | Ability to reach the information they need in their daily lives, and to interpret it | ✔ | |||
| 2 | Being in command of the basic concepts of law | ✔ | |||
| 3 | Understanding the political, economical, and social transformations that occur in a wide range of areas including local and international levels | ✔ | |||
| 4 | Defining and solving problems encountered in political, social, and economic life | ✔ | |||
| 5 | Being conscious, effective and rational citizens who can comprehend the transformations taking place in Turkey and in the world today | ✔ | |||
| 6 | Being professionals who can operate as productive participants in any public organization | ✔ | |||
| 7 | Having the knowledge about how public organizations function and how their decision making processes and mechanisms work | ✔ | |||
| 8 | Developing original solutions to the problems faced in relation to their own area of interest | ✔ | |||
| 9 | Critical thinking ability | ✔ | |||
| 10 | Being in command of the interdisciplinary approaches | ✔ | |||
0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution