MUST COURSES

EAS 500 / PRO-THESIS SEMINAR / IŞIK (KUŞÇU) BONNENFANT

The objective of this course is to familiarize the students with the basic concepts, theories and approaches within the field of Eurasian Studies. It attempts to assist the students in discovering their specific areas of interest and to enrich their knowledge about Eurasia. In weekly seminars, conducted by scholars from different disciplines, the students are familiarized with different approaches on Eurasia. These will hopefully allow the students to meet the professors and learn about their specific areas of research. Students are expected to attend the seminars and read the assigned articles in advance. Subsequently, the students are required to write a term paper of approximately 3500-5000 words in length, word processed, and correctly referenced. Paper topics will be arranged on an individual basis with one of the professors in the program.

EAS 502 / POLITICS OF STATE BUILDING IN EURASIA / PINAR KÖKSAL & IŞIK (KUŞÇU) BONNENFANT

This course aims to familiarize the students with some of the theoretical concerns related to the post-Soviet state-building process in Eurasia, with a specific emphasis on issues of nationalism, democracy, governmental mechanisms, institution building and ethnicity in terms of their relation to the dynamics of state-building and nationality problems. The course is divided by issue and not by geographical area or republic.

EAS 509 / INTRODUCTION TO POST-SOVIET STUDIES / HAZAR EGE GÜRSOY ERDENAY

The principal aim of this course is to provide the students with the necessary tools and methods in terms of the main theoretical models and debates in area studies. It also aims to offer both a comprehensive conceptualization of the term "Eurasia" and some essential and basic knowledge about each country, both in a historical context and in the light of current developments and transformations.

EAS 519 / RESEARCH METHODS AND ETHICS / HAZAR EGE GÜRSOY ERDENAY

The course will also introduce students to the basic qualitative techniques used to design and carry out research in social sciences disciplines. It will include overview of research process, data collection (archival or library research, observation, interviews, surveys, field study, case study), as well as data analysis and interpretation of results. Further, the students will learn about the skills of academic writing with its own set of rules and practices (such as making an argument, formulating questions, unifying and developing ideas). More importantly, the course will cover ethical concerns, plagiarism and standard documentation formats. Finally, the main constrains of research in the Eurasian region will be discussed.

ELECTIVE COURSES

EAS 501 / SOCIETY AND CULTURE IN EURASIA / PINAR KÖKSAL

This course aims to provide a comprehensive study of the contemporary Central Asian region with a special emphasis on the historical, economic, political and social conditions of the countries of the region in a general context. The main emphasis is on the pre-Soviet and Soviet eras, giving the students a general framework for understanding the post-Soviet developments.

EAS 504 / RUSSIAN POLITICS / GÖKTEN DOĞANGÜN

This course aims to make the students familiar with the dynamics and institutions of political order in post-Soviet Russia. The collapse of the Soviet Union, the attempts to construct a democratic order, the subsequent recentralization of power and the increasing geopolitical role of Russia makes it an important global and regional actor that requires closer academic attention. The course covers the political, economic and social situation and dynamics in Russia after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The course starts with an introduction to transition politics in Russia in a comparative way. The following topics include the Crisis and Collapse of the Soviet Union - Leadership and Main Political Narratives - Stateness, Constitution, And Rule of Law -Parliament, Executive Branch, And Hegemonic Presidency - Federation or Unitary State? Foreign Policy and International Context - Ethnicity, Religion, and National Unity - The Politics of the Economy - Political Parties, Elections, and Polls - Civil Society.

EAS 513 / STATE AND NATION-BUILDING IN SOUTH CAUCASUS / AYŞEGÜL (BAYDAR) AYDINGÜN & CEYLAN TOKLUOĞLU

This course aims to explore the process of state and nation-building in three South Caucasus countries since the Russian conquest through the post-Soviet transformation. After a brief discussion of historical and geographical background, the processes of ethnic and national consolidation within first, the Russian Empire, and then the Soviet Union are discussed. Particular attention is paid to the transformatory experiences of the Bolshevik Revolution and Sovietization, as well as the collapse of the Soviet Union and ethnic conflicts. Finally, the latest developments in political and social institutions are discussed.

EAS 515 / GENDER QUESTION IN THE SOVIET UNION AND POST-SOVIET SPACE / AYŞE (GÜNEŞ) AYATA & GÖKTEN DOĞANGÜN

This course will examine the interaction between state, gender and patriarchy with a particular focus on the Soviet Union and on the cases of Russian Federation, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. After reviewing the main theoretical debates on this interaction, the very gendered themes and spheres such as modernization, revolution, education, motherhood, abortion, family, political life and working life during the Soviet time will be discussed. In the second part, the ruptures and continuities with the Soviet gender politics will be considered in the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. The main question is to understand the impact of national identity, religion and culture on gender politics in these countries after the end of Soviet Union.

EAS 516 / LANGUAGE POLICIES IN LATE IMPERIAL, SOVIET AND POST-SOVIET RUSSIA / AYŞE DIETRICH

This course will examine the history of language policy in Russia from the late 19th century to the present day. Major focus will be placed on the development of language policy, Russification, nativization (indigenization – korenizatsiya), cultural policies, the switch to the Cyrillic alphabet for minority languages, and the role of the Russian language in Sovietization and state policy in the Soviet Union from the Russian Revolution to its collapse, and the continuing role of Russian as an instrument of foreign policy in the Russian Federation. In addition, this course will deal with the development of national language policies in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Baltic states from independence to the present day.