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76458-01 - Seminar: Turkish Political History (1923-1980) (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Zeynep Sabanci (zeynep.sabanci@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This course aims to examine the political, socio-economic, and demographic transformations that marked the transition from the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire to the construction of the Turkish Republic as a nation-state. Beginning with the proclamation of the Republic in 1923—signaling the end of the War of Independence and the establishment of a new political regime—the course explores the institutionalization of the republican order, its ideological orientations, and its social engineering projects. The period from 1923 to 1980 will be analyzed through key themes such as state-society relations, models of economic development, social class formation, urbanization, educational policies, definitions of citizenship, and identity construction. A central objective of the course is to identify and critically assess the continuities and ruptures that shaped this historical trajectory and to evaluate their long-term implications for contemporary Turkey. Particular emphasis will be placed on the transition from single-party to multi-party politics, the military interventions of 1960 and 1971, increasing political polarization, the rise of social movements, and the developments that led to the 1980 military coup. The course will also interrogate the rise, limits, and eventual decline of the “national developmentalist” paradigm as a lens for understanding the broader dynamics of Turkish modernization. |
| Learning objectives | Students will gain a critical understanding of the key political, socio-economic, and demographic transformations that shaped the formation of the Turkish Republic between 1923 and 1980. They will analyze the dynamics of state-building, identity formation, and modernization through major historical events and policy shifts. The course will equip students with the analytical tools to assess the legacies of this period in relation to contemporary Turkish politics and society. |
| Bibliography | Zürcher, Erik Jan, A Modern History (London: I.B. Tauris, 2004) Keyder Çağlar, State and Class in Turkey: a Study in Capitalist Development (London & New York: Verso, 1987) |
| Comments | All the articles and book chapters (Pdf versions) in the required reading list can be downloaded at the course portal in the ADAM system. |
| Admission requirements | No prior requirements for participation |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Course auditors welcome |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Monday | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 22.09.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Monday 29.09.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Monday 06.10.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Monday 13.10.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Monday 20.10.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Monday 27.10.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Monday 03.11.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Monday 10.11.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Monday 17.11.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Monday 24.11.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Monday 01.12.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Monday 08.12.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Monday 15.12.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Maiengasse, Raum 104 |
| Modules |
Modul: Fortgeschrittene Nahoststudien (Bachelor's degree subject: Near & Middle Eastern Studies) Modul: Themen der Near & Middle Eastern Studies (Master's degree subject: Near & Middle Eastern Studies) Module: Europeanization and Globalization (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Each student will be assigned a discussion topic for which they will be responsible throughout the entire semester. The professor will present several topic options related to the course by the third week of the semester. Students are free to choose their preferred topic; however, group work is not permitted. The selected topics must be submitted within a week. For the midterm assignment, which constitutes 40% of the final grade, each student is required to present their research topic in class. For the in-class presentations, students are expected to present the preliminary findings of their research. Each student will have 15 minutes to present their work. The presentations will take place during the last two weeks of the semester. For the final assignment, which constitutes 60% of the total grade, students are required to write a 1,000-word essay (excluding bibliography and footnotes) on their chosen topic, summarizing their entire research. The course is designed to give students the opportunity to thoughtfully explore and develop their research topic throughout the entire semester. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Nahost-Studien |