TAR 207 - History of Political Thoughts

History of political thought can be understood as the attempts of different thinkers from different times and places in dealing with some of the fundamental problems of political philosophy. Some of the fundamental questions that have occupied the thinkers throughout history, and that will occupy us throughout the semester are the following: How should the societies be organized? How should the people be ruled - through monarchy, theocracy, democracy, oligarchy, aristocracy? What is the best political regime? What are the meanings of the concepts and ideas like justice, equality, freedom, power, and legitimacy? In the context of this course, we will approach these questions through the methods of intellectual history and philosophy. In other words, we will both analyze how these thinkers have engaged with these problems in their own historical contexts and also attempt to understand how they provided solutions to these problems.

History of political thought can be understood as the attempts of different thinkers from different times and places in dealing with some of the fundamental problems of political philosophy. Some of the fundamental questions that have occupied the thinkers throughout history, and that will occupy us throughout the semester are the following: How should the societies be organized? How should the people be ruled - through monarchy, theocracy, democracy, oligarchy, aristocracy? What is the best political regime? What are the meanings of the concepts and ideas like justice, equality, freedom, power, and legitimacy? In the context of this course, we will approach these questions through the methods of intellectual history and philosophy. In other words, we will both analyze how these thinkers have engaged with these problems in their own historical contexts and also attempt to understand how they provided solutions to these problems.

• Donald G. Tannenbaum, “Siyaset Felsefesi: Zorluğu Tanıtma”, Siyasi Düşünce Tarihi: Filozoflar ve Fikirleri içinde BB101 Yay., 2016, 22-37.
• Mete Tunçay, Batı’da Siyasal Düşünceler Tarihi: Eski ve Orta Çağlar, İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yay., 5. Baskı, 2018.
• Mete Tunçay, Batı’da Siyasal Düşünceler Tarihi: Yeni Çağ, İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yay., 5. Baskı, 2018.
• Mete Tunçay, Batı’da Siyasal Düşünceler Tarihi: Yakın Çağ, İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yay., 5. Baskı, 2018.

• Ahu Tunçel, Kurtul Gülenç, Siyaset Felsefesi Tarihi: Platon’dan Zizek’e, Doğu Batı Yay., 2017.
• Larry Arnhart, Platon’dan Pinker’a: Siyasi Düşünce Tarihi, Adres Yay., Aralık-2018.
• Lütfi Sunar & Özgür Kavak, İslam Siyaset Düşüncesi: Adil Devlet, Erdemli Şehir, Mükellef, İlem Kitaplığı, 2018.
• Şenol Korkut, Farabi’nin Siyaset Felsefesi: Kökenleri ve Özgünlüğü, Atlas Yay., 2015.
• Huriye Tevfik Mücahid, Fârâbî’den Abduh’a Siyasi Düşünce içinde, İz Yay., 2005.

Make-up examination: In all cases, you must submit a written request for a Make-up Examination to the Dean’s Office (Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) within five days of the examination giving reasons together with the necessary supporting evidence. There is no make-up for make-up exams.

• During the semester I will make four unannounced quizzes (5% points each). Quizzes can be at done at any time during the lecture – beginning, middle, or end.
• Attendance to lectures is mandatory according to the university regulations. Attendance of less than 70% will normally be penalized with a ‘DZ’ grade.
• Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating or plagiarism may result in F for the course.