PSI 102 International Relations II
2024 / 2025 Spring Semester
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gökhan Akşemsettinoğlu
Department of Political Science and International Relations
Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences
Çankaya University
Office: K – 414
Tel: 233 10 00 / 1249
E-mail: gokhana@cankaya.edu.tr
Webpage: http://psi102.cankaya.edu.tr.
Course Hour / Place
Wednesday 09.20 - 12.10 / K - 103
Office Hour / Place
Wednesday 13.20 - 14.10 and Thursday 10.20 - 11.10 / K - 414 or by appointment
Course Description
This International Relations course focuses more on specific concepts, principles and issues of international politics. In the semester, the course will examine the issues of conflict and international security extensively, with emphasis on interstate conflict, armed intervention, and terrorism. Conflict resolution and international law will be other issues related to security. The course will also deal with globalization, global politics, trade, and political economy. The Nature of human rights and environmental issues will be other subjects. The last part of the course will be about the future of international relations.
Course Requirements
In this course, students are required to attend classes (70 per cent of the whole classes, at least), read the course materials regularly, and participate in class discussions. There will be one midterm exam and a final exam during the semester. In these essay-type exams, the students will be responsible for both the course materials and the lecture notes.
Reading Materials
The required reading materials of the course are taken from the following textbooks:
♦ Baylis, John, Steve Smith and Patricia Owens. The Globalization of World Politics, an Introduction to International Relations, 6th Edition, Oxford University Press, 2020.
♦ Brown, Chris. Understanding International Relations, 5th Edition, Red Globe, 2019.
♦ Buzan, Barry and George Lawson. The Global Transformation, History, Modernity and the Making of International Relations, Cambridge Studies in International Relations: 135, Cambridge University Press, 2015.
♦ Baylis, John, Steve Smith and Patricia Owens. The Globalization of World Politics, an Introduction to International Relations, 6th Edition, Oxford University Press, 2014.
♦ Kegley, W. Jr, Charles. and Shannon L. Blanton. World Politics, Trend and Transformation, 2012-2013 Edition, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2013.
♦ Viotti R. Paul and Mark V. Kauppi. International Relations and World Politics, 5th Edition, Pearson, 2013.
The copies of all required readings of these books will be uploaded to Distance Learning System. The following books are supplementary materials for the course, and they are suggested for further study.
♦ Stephanie Lawson. International Relations, 3rd Edition, Polity, 2017.
♦ Christian Reus-Smit and Duncan Snidal. The Oxford Handbook of International Relations, Oxford U. Press, 2017.
♦ Karen A. Mingst and Ivan M. Arreguin-Toft. Essentials of International Relations, 7th Edition, 2016.
♦ Goldstein S. Joshua and Jon C. Pevehouse. International Relations, 11th Edition, Pearson, 2016.
♦ Eric B. Shiraev and Vladislav M. Zubok. International Relations, 2nd Edition, Oxford University Press, 2015.
♦ Rourke, T. John. International Politics on the World Stage, 12th Edition, Mc Graw Hill, 2009.
♦ Sönmezoğlu, Faruk, Hakan Güneş, Erhan Keleşoğlu. Uluslararası İlişikilere Giriş, Der yayınları, İstanbul, 2013.
♦ Çomak Hasret, Caner Sancaktar (Ed.). Uluslararası İlişkilerde Teorik Tartışmalar, Beta Yayınları, İstanbul, 2013.
♦ Chris Brown, Kirsten Ainley (Çev. M. G. Ayral). Uluslararası İlişkileri Anlamak, Sümer Kitabevi, İst., 2103.
♦ Griffiths Martin, Terry O’Callaghan, Steven C. Roach (Çeviren: CESRAN). Uluslararası İlişkilerde Temel Kavramlar, Nobel Yayınevi, 2. Basım, Ankara, 2013.
Grade Components
Class Participation (Not Attendance) 10 %
Midterm Exam 40 %
Final Exam 50 %
Course Outline
● Geography (1 week)
(Viotti, Chapter 4, pp.100-108)
Physical Geography
Human Geography
● Globalization, Global Politics, and Post-Cold War Order (1 week)
(Baylis, Chapter 15, pp. 229 - 242, Chris, Chapter 7, pp. 120-143 and Chapter 9, pp. 168-184)
The Meaning and the Characteristics of Globalization
Contemporary Globalization and its Characteristics
Global Governance
● Conflict and International Security (3 weeks)
(Baylis, Chapter 15, pp. 229 – 242; Viotti, Chapter 9, pp. 295 – 329 and Chapter 10, pp. 335 – 365)
Definition of Security and Different Approaches to Security
Interstate Conflict and its Causes
Natinal Strategy and the Use of Force
Deterrence, Defense, Warfighting, and Just War Theory
Armed Intervention and Criteria for Decisions
Asymmetric Conflict (Terrorism)
Causes and the Changing Nature of Terrorism
Approaches to Solve Asymmetric Conflicts
● Conflict Resolution and International Law (2 weeks)
(Kegley, Chapter 9, pp. 279 – 322)
Conflict Resolution Procedures
Historical Development and Characteristics of International Law
Sources, and Core Principles of International Law
Limitations (Weaknesses) of International Law
● Global Political Economy (2 weeks)
(Chris, Chapter 8, pp.144 - 167, Viotti, Chapter 11, pp. 370 – 412)
The Meaning of International Political Economy
Trade Theory (Classical and Neoclassical Approaches)
International Liquidity and Exchange Rates
Fixed and Floating Exchange Rate Regimes
● Human Rights Issues (3 weeks)
(Kegley, Chapter 13, pp. 421 – 452)
The Concept of “Right” and the Emergence of Human Rights Issues
Measuring Human Development
Human Rights and the Protection of People
Women’s and Children's Rights
Refugee Rights and the Rights of Indigenous People
Solution to Human Rights Abuses
● Environmental Issues (1 week)
(Kegley, Chapter 14, pp. 454 – 488)
Environmental Problems, Environmental Security and Eco-politics
Global Characteristics of Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development
International Efforts to Resolve Environmental Problems
The Tragedy of Commons
● Future of International Relations (1 week)
(Kegley, Chapter 15, pp. 492 – 508; Buzan and Lawson Chapter 10, pp. 305 - 333)
Rethinking International Relations, Global Trends and Forecasts
Key Questions about a Turbulent World
A New World Order / Disorder