HIST434 MAJOR ISSUES IN THE HISTORY OF CONTEMPORARY TURKEY
| Course Code: | 2400434 |
| METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): | 3 (3.00 - 0.00) |
| ECTS Credit: | 6.0 |
| Department: | History |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Study: | Undergraduate |
| Course Coordinator: | Prof.Dr. NESİM ŞEKER |
| Offered Semester: | Once in several years. |
Course Objectives
This course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the historical development of Turkey from the late Ottoman Empire to the contemporary period. By examining critical themes such as migration, economic transformation, political change, nationalism, secularism, and identity formation, students will explore how these forces have shaped modern Turkey's society, politics, and economy. Through an analysis of scholarly readings, students will develop the ability to critically engage with historical debates and assess Turkey’s complex role in both regional and global contexts.
Course Content
This course will focus on major political and economic issues and deals with social and cultural developments which have been crucial in making current Turkey. It will cover the period extending from the early twentieth century until its end.
Course Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
Analyze key historical developments and transformations in Turkey from the late Ottoman period to the present day.
Understand the role of migration and population dynamics in shaping modern Turkish society and politics.
Critically assess the economic and political changes that occurred during the Republican era and their impact on Turkey’s modernization process.
Examine the relationship between nationalism, secularism, and identity in the formation of the Turkish state.
Engage with historical debates surrounding authoritarianism, military interventions, and the role of the military in Turkish politics.
Synthesize insights from diverse scholarly perspectives to formulate well-informed arguments about the historical trajectories of Turkey.
Program Outcomes Matrix
| Level of Contribution | |||||
| # | Program Outcomes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1 | are familiar with general world historical periods and trends; demonstrate knowledge of key facts, ideas, societies, organizations, cultures, structures and processes related to a variety of historical contexts. | ✔ | |||
| 2 | are familiar with existing scholarly literature, historiography and historical methodology; and have developed the ability to approach them critically. | ✔ | |||
| 3 | are acquainted with interdisciplinary approaches. | ✔ | |||
| 4 | are able to generate research questions and conduct independent historical research by locating and analyzing primary and/or secondary sources; can construct viable arguments based on source interpretation. | ✔ | |||
| 5 | have developed sufficient English language skills; additionally, they have acquired the skill to read both printed texts and manuscripts in Ottoman Turkish. | ✔ | |||
| 6 | are able to present research results both in oral and written form. | ✔ | |||
| 7 | are able to work individually or as part of a team. | ✔ | |||
| 8 | are equipped with academic ethics. | ✔ | |||
| 9 | are aware of modern day issues and current events; have the skills and knowledge to generate informed opinions. | ✔ | |||
0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution