Comparative Local Government (POLS 493)

2024 Spring
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Political Science(POLS)
3
6
Özge Kemahlıoğlu ozgekemah@sabanciuniv.edu,
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English
Undergraduate
SPS101 SPS102
Formal lecture,Interactive lecture
Interactive,Communicative,Discussion based learning
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Programs\Type Required Core Elective Area Elective
Political Science *
Political Science and International Relations *
Political Science and International Relations *
Political Science (Previous Name: Social and Political Sciences) *

CONTENT

A major structural change has taken place in Turkish society with the urban population surpassing the rural population for the first time in the Ottoman-Turkish continuum. The first rate of urbanization has not resulted in a parallel process of urban integration, creating serious problems in both tangible (infrastructure, housing, services) and intangible (identity, participation, civic engagement) aspects of urban space. This dual character of urban settlements in Türkiye has been compounded by a strained relationship between central and local govenment in sharing of competences and resources. The strategic decision of Türkiye to join the European Union (EU); the need to harmonize policies; the prevalent trends and principles in the EU in the field of local govenment have created a new urgency to critically reappraise the administrative system in Türkiye. The general tendency in the EU for decentralization, deconcentration and devolution, true to the spirit of local and regional governance, has necessitated local government reform to top the reform agenda in Türkiye. Within the confines of the Course, a comparative analysis of existing institutions and processes will be taken up, followed by trends and evolving patterns of local governance in both the EU and Türkiye.

OBJECTIVE

To familiarize the student on contemporary structure; competences, trends pertaining to local government system in Turkey and the European Union with a view to eventually harmonize policies.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • At the end of the course, students should be able to: 1- Comprehend state formation in Turkey and the EU, as well as different administrative traditions; 2- Appreciate major trends and concepts related to local and regional governance in the EU; 3- Analyze Turkey's attempts to harmonize local government related policies and practice, with that of the EU; 4- Have a clear understanding of the goals, priorities of the novel legislation, institutions and instruments introduced as part of local government reform; 5- Critically assess and compare intended aims of local government reform with actual results.

PROGRAMME OUTCOMES

1. Understand the world, their country, their society, as well as themselves and have awareness of ethical problems, social rights, values and responsibility to the self and to others. 3

2. Understand different disciplines from natural and social sciences to mathematics and art, and develop interdisciplinary approaches in thinking and practice. 3

3. Think critically, follow innovations and developments in science and technology, demonstrate personal and organizational entrepreneurship and engage in life-long learning in various subjects; have the ability to continue to educate him/herself. 3

4. Communicate effectively in Turkish and English by oral, written, graphical and technological means. 4

5. Take individual and team responsibility, function effectively and respectively as an individual and a member or a leader of a team; and have the skills to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams. 3

1. Develop knowledge of theories, concepts, and research methods in humanities and social sciences. 3

2. Assess how global, national and regional developments affect society. 5

3. Know how to access and evaluate data from various sources of information. 4

1. To analyze national and global events from various social science perspectives. 4

2. To demonstrate theoretical and practical knowledge on political science and international relations and to state views and positions with advanced oral and written skills. 5

3. To compete for increasing career opportunities in national and global institutions. 5

4. To (be able to) understand and follow the changes in political behaviours, opinions and structures. 4

5. To gain the ability to make logical inferences on social and political issues based on comparative and historical knowledge. 4

1. Understand and follow changes in patterns of political behavior, ideas and structures. 4

2. Develop the ability to make logical inferences about social and political issues on the basis of comparative and historical knowledge. 4

ASSESSMENT METHODS and CRITERIA

  Percentage (%)
Final 50
Midterm 30
Participation 10
Other 10

RECOMENDED or REQUIRED READINGS

Readings

- Metin Heper ., Urbanization and Metropolitan Municipal Politics in Turkey, paper submitted at the International Conference on ?Population, Poverty and Politics?, the University of Arizona, 1993 , 36 pp.
- Korel Göymen ,. Türkiyede Kent Yönetimi, Boyut, İstanbul: 1997, pp. 15?39
- Levent Köker ., ?Local Politics and Democracy in Turkey?, in Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences, July 1995, Vol 540, 10 pp.
- Korel Göymen, ?Dynamics of Changes in Turkish Local Governance?, Society and Economy, 28 (2006) 3, pp. 245-266.
- John Loughlin., Sub-national Democracy in the European Union, Oxford University Press, Oxford: 2001 pp. 1? 37; 37- 60; 83- 116; 185- 210; 319- 342.
- Peter John., Local Governance in Western Europe, Sage Publications, London: 2001, pp. 1-22; 25-39; 154-175.
- Committee of the Regions., Regional and Local Government in the European Union, Luxembourg: 2000 pp. 15-51.
- European Union, White Paper on European Governance, Brussels: 2000, 19pp.
- Korel Göymen., ?Novel Participatory Mechanisms in the Turkish Municipal System?
in Local Governance, Vol. 25 No. 1, Spring 1999, pp. 53-64.
- UNDP, ?Promoting Participatory Service Delivery through the Implementation of Local Agenda 21 in Turkey?, in Innovations in Governance in the Middle East, North Africa and Western Balkans, United Nations, New York: 2007, pp. 65-86
- Korel Göymen, Involving Private Enterprise in Local Development in a Centralized Country with an Etatist Legacy: The Case of Turkey, in Improving Local Government, Ed. Michiel de Vries.