SU Center course required for undergraduate students. Turkey is a country with a rich history and a host of seeming contradictions. We explore the tensions and opportunities in this complex political and social landscape by examining key issues in contemporary Turkey and in its regional and global relations. After a brief review of its Ottoman past, we turn to the founding of the Turkish republic in 1923 and Turkey’s ongoing political dynamics: Turkish democratization, the role of the military and challenges to democratic consolidation, including persistent tensions between social/political Islam and secularism. We also discuss Turkish nationalism and the Kurdish question, as well as other issues related to gender, ethnic/religious minorities and human rights. In the last part of the course, we turn to foreign policy and transnational relations (and specifically the refugee crisis), examining Turkey’s historical and contemporary role and importance in the region, including its long-standing relationships with the United States and the European Union, its role in NATO, and its increasingly fraught relations with Russia and its Middle Eastern neighbors (Syria, Israel, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia). In grappling with these issues and their complexities, we aim to move beyond common stereotypes about Turkey and towards a more sophisticated and nuanced understanding of this crucial country. Cross-listed with IRP/PSC/SOC 458/PAI 658, with additional work required for graduate students.
MES400.1 Contemporary Issues in Turkey (Fall, Spring)
ARI467 Experimental Advanced Drawing (Fall, Spring)
Historical awareness. Relation of drawing to major areas of study. Philosophical development in the use of personal imagery and techniques.
Students must bring with them or purchase specialty drawing papers and tools suited to individual project(s).
Repeatable 1 time(s), 6 credits maximum
Limited enrollment, with preference given to students admitted to Studio Art Program.
Prereq: ARI 333 (Drawing II) or equivalent
This course has an associated course fee. See the Course Fees webpage for more information.
PSC300.2 Democratization Theory in Comparative Perspective (Fall, Spring)
The study of political regimes (democracy and authoritarianism) has been one of the central concerns of political science. This course is designed to introduce students to these studies by first outlining the main approaches to democratization, and then contextualizing these approaches in the Middle East and Turkey. The course is composed of four modules: 1) political regime definitions; 2) approaches to democratization; 3) democracy and authoritarianism in the Middle East; 4) democracy and authoritarianism in Turkey. These modules will both help us understand the political regime dynamics in the Middle East and Turkey, and provide avenues to better evaluate and discuss current political developments in the region. Can also be registered as MES 300.2.
GEO300.1 Society and Politics in Globalizing Megacities: Istanbul in Comparative and Critical Perspective (Fall, Spring)
How do global cities come into being in the developing world? In what ways do the concomitant globalization and expansion of a metropolis shape the socio-economic, cultural, and political conditions and experiences of the city residents? And what kind of individual and collective practices so social and political actors carry out to promote, resist, or negotiate these transformations? This course explores these and other related questions by studying the case of Istanbul from a comparative and critical perspective. More specifically, the course will probe into the alterations in urban economy and governance, issues of social inequality and urban marginalization, questions of identity and belonging in the midst of global flows of culture and people, urban redevelopment and its social and ecological consequences, urban social movements and new forms of citizenship, and debates over public security and urban violence. As we examine these issues, we will draw on sociological and interdisciplinary theoretical readings, empirical case studies of other megacities, historical analysis, and most importantly field activities designed to encourage students’ active engagement with the city. The course, thus, seeks to be much more than an abstract introduction to urban phenomena in a classroom setting by integrating learning into the students’ daily experience in and of Istanbul in ways that will foster a richer study abroad experience. Meets with SOC 300.1.
WGS417 The History of Women in Spain (Spring)
Taught in Spanish, spring only. Approaching the history of women in Spain always demands a look into the past: into the Muslim, Jewish and Christian societies of the Middle Ages, and also into the 16th to 18th centuries, when the model of woman and Catholic family was shaped that would endure into the 20th century. But the approach to the history of women in Spain requires also analyzing the hard path to equality — the struggle for the recognition of the rights of Spanish women in the 19th and 20th centuries. One hundred years of work to improve women’s rights, through the Second Spanish Republic and the setbacks of Francoism, concluded in Article 14 of the Constitution of 1978 in which equality was formally established. But this is not the end of the story, and leads us to a great question: Does formal equality mean real equality in the present? We’ll draw a portrait of Spanish women in the 21st century, their roles in jobs, family, education, image, society, religion, etc., in order to provide some answers.
Meets with HST/SPA 417.
Pre-req: SPA 202, four semesters of college-level Spanish, or the equivalent
WGS306 Sexuality in Spain (Fall, Spring)
Today’s sexuality in Spain cannot be understood without taking into account what it used to be just 40 years ago, when many Spaniards were educated under the principles of National Catholicism. Yet in 2005, Spain became the third country in the world to legally recognize same-sex marriage. This course explores important transformations in Spaniards’ concepts of sexuality and gender through readings, film screenings and observing certain urban areas in Madrid. Cross-listed with QSX/SOC 306.
Syracuse students: Satisfies IDEA course requirement.
WGS302 Gender, Race, Migration and Family in Spain (Fall, Spring)
This course examines how men’s and women’s lives are shaped by the concept of gender and how it interacts with other identity variables like class, race or religion. It explores the links between gender roles and family relations, and it reflects on the consequences of these interactions in the labor market. It analyzes persisting gender inequalities like the feminization of poverty and gender-based violence. It explains the social structure of the Spanish Family System and the relevance of family networks for social cohesion and stability. It explains the Spanish Labor Market from a gender perspective. The course also explores the migration model in terms of migrants’ population composition and gender-related issues.
This course may also be registered as SOC 302.
Syracuse students: Satisfies IDEA course requirement.
SPA428 Spanish in Context: Oral and Writing Practice (Fall, Spring)
Taught in Spanish. In this course for advanced Spanish language learners, students will sharpen their proficiency in all four skills and engage Spanish culture and society through the reading of texts, analysis of newspaper articles and debates on topical issues, thereby mastering the nuances of Spanish conversation and writing and developing a deeper competency in the language.
Prereq: Any 300-level SPA course taught at Syracuse University, five semesters of college-level Spanish (or the equivalent), or permission of instructor
SPA364 Modern Spanish Art (Fall, Spring)
Taught in Spanish. Spanish art and architecture from the late 18th century to the present. Goya and succeeding movements including Picasso’s cubism, the surrealism of Miró and Dalí, and the modernist architecture of Gaudí. Using Goya as a point of departure, illustrated lectures concentrate on the subsequent Spanish Masters in relation to other Realists, Impressionists and Post-Impressionists in Europe and abroad. Includes visits to the Prado, the Sorolla, the Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the Reina Sofía museums (Madrid), and to galleries and exhibits in Madrid and the surrounding area.
Meets with HOA 464. Enrollment is limited with preference given to fine arts majors.
Pre-req: SPA 201, three semesters of college-level Spanish, or the equivalent
This course has an associated course fee. See the Madrid Course Fees page for more information.
SPA302 Advanced Language Usage (Fall, Spring)
Taught in Spanish. This course provides a general overview of customs in contemporary Spanish culture and how they evolved throughout Spanish history. Our aim is for you to understand Spanish social behavior and ways of thinking to help overcome any culture shock that you may feel while adjusting to life in Spanish society. The class dynamic combines important cultural content with time dedicated to communication activities, including conversation, debates, and role-playing games, requiring active participation from all students. Language practice will be based on current topics, course material, and conversational situations that you may encounter in your daily life in Madrid.
Another of the objectives of the course is to fill grammatical gaps for English-speaking students with an advanced intermediate level in Spanish. We will incorporate idioms and specific vocabulary for everyday situations and current issues to facilitate real-world conversation. During the first part of the course, we will review vocabulary, phonetics, and basic grammatical structures as they come up in the course material and per your requests. The goal is for you to acquire a good level of communicative competence in all language skills, both oral and written.
The class is based on active participation, and course topics are chosen to encourage conversation and debate. Many of the different topics are related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in contemporary Spain. We will also visit places of cultural interest.
Pre-req: Four semesters of college-level Spanish or the equivalent