U4890 "Topics on Contemporary Turkey: Identity, Accession and Social and Political Debates in Turkey Today".

This course proposes to examine in depth some of the major debates and issues faced by the citizens of the Turkish Republic at the present time. In doing so this course will briefly examine the origins of the modern Turkish State with a focus on how the founding realities and myths have aided or hindered contemporary Turkish society. This course will give particular emphasis to the interplay of domestic and international agendas in the larger framework of the current Turkish debates on such topics as accession negotiations to join the European Union, civil society and the rights of women and ethnic minorities.

Course Requirements: As this course is intended to take form as a seminar, the final grade will consist of class participation (20%), the leading of a selected reading, (20%) and the submission of either two ten page papers or one twenty page papers (60%). This requires that all members of the class are also expected to lead a readings discussion section of their choice.