| Academic Unit: |
International Relations |
| Mode of Delivery: |
Face to face |
| Prerequisites: |
None |
| Language of Instruction: |
English |
| Level of Course Unit: |
Doctorate |
| Course Coordinator: |
Serhat GÜVENÇ |
| Course Lecturer(s): |
Serhat GÜVENÇ |
| Course Objectives: |
This is a graduate seminar focusing on the evolution of military strategy with the ebb and flow of state, society and technology. Departing from Clausewitz?s oft-quoted maxim: ?War is ... a continuation of political activity by other means,? the seminar seeks to explore and emphasize the primacy of politics in determining the military strategy. During the course, students will be introduced to and familiarized with, the succession of land, naval and air power strategies as well as nuclear strategy. |
| Course Contents: |
Although majority of cases covered in the course reflects the primacy of states for strategic studies, supranational and non-state actors? challanges to Clauswitzian conception of strategy, such as the ESDP or international terrorism will merit particular attention. As such, the course will cover cases in which various strategic ideas have been put into practice from trench war in the World War I to the nuclear strategy in the Cold War or from the post-Cold War humanitarian intervention to the 9/11 terror attacks. |
| Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit (LO): |
- 1- Place strategic studies in the larger context of international relations’ discipline
- 2- Familiarize with a succession of strategic theories
- 3- Identify various drivers for strategic choices across time and place
- 4- Understand the link between politics/policy and strategy
- 5- Identify elements of continuity and change in strategic ideas
- 6- Critically engage with theory and practice of strategy with case studies
|
| Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods: |
Course is organized into weekly discussions with readings assigned for each week. Documentary and feature films are also assigned for in-class or outside-of-class viewing. Class discussions, moderated by the instructor, will revolve around readings and movies assigned and hence require active student participation. Attendance is required but not sufficient as students are expected to contribute to class discussions. The lecture and assignments will be all in English so competency in English is essential. Students must read the reading materials assigned to them before each week’s meeting. Students should be prepared to make use of their computer and social media skills for this course as new media tools and materials will supplement the more traditional teaching and learning aids. There will be one book review assignment, one in-class presentation towards coursework and a term paper assignment for final exam. |
| Week | Subjects | Related Preperation |
| 1 |
General Introduction: Relevance of Strategic Studies? |
Baylis (2001); Gray (2007: 4-14). |
| 2 |
Essence of Political War: Clausewitz |
Gray (2007: 15-30); Parret (1986: 186-213); Howard (2002) |
| 3 |
Sea Power: Mahan and Corbett |
Gray (2007: 51-73); Parret (1986: 444-77); Karsten (1971) |
| 4 |
Air Power: Douhet, Seversky |
Parret (1986: 624-47); Cohen (1997); Westenhoff (1997). |
| 5 |
The Bomb and Nuclear Strategy |
Parret (1986: 775-783); Heuser (2000); Kaplan (2001). |
| 6 |
Strategy after 9/11 |
Gray (2007: 235-44); Pape (2003); Cook (2007) |
| 7 |
Strategy in Action: Age of Total Wars |
Gray (2007: 85-97); Parret (1986: 510-26); Murray (1996). |
| 8 |
Politics, Ideology and Strategy: The Soviet Union |
Kokoshin (11-61); Rice (1987). |
| 9 |
Strategy in an Uncertain World |
Callum (2001); Clare (2000). |
| 10 |
Diverging Strategic Choices in the West |
Kagan (2002); Heiseburg (2000). |
| 11 |
Student Presentations I |
|
| 12 |
Student Presentations II |
|
| 13 |
End of Political War? |
Vinci (2008); Naiden (2014) |
| 14 |
End of Political War? |
Gautam (2013); Basevich (2012) |
At Kadir Has University, a Semester is 14 weeks; The weeks 15 and 16 are reserved for final exams.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES (LO) AND PROGRAM QUALIFICATIONS (PQ)
| # |
PQ1 |
PQ2 |
PQ3 |
PQ4 |
PQ5 |
PQ6 |
PQ7 |
PQ8 |
PQ9 |
PQ10 |
PQ11 |
| LO1 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
| LO2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
| LO3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
| LO4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
| LO5 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
| LO6 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
Contribution: 1 Low, 2 Average, 3 High
