SPS518 Turkish Foreign Policy towards the Balkans
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
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Social and Political Sciences
Jahja Muhasilović
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Hale, W. 2013. Turkish Foreign Policy 1774-2000. Routledge Oktem, K., New Islamic actors after the Wahhabi intermezzo: Turkey's return to the Balkans, European Studies Center: University of Oxford, December 2010. E. Fuat Keyman, 2012. “Proactivism in Turkish Foreign Policy: The Global-Local Nexus,” in Another Empire? A Decade of Turkey’s Foreign Policy under the Justice and Development Party, p. 19-33. O. Anastasakis, 2012. “Turkey’s Assertive Presence in Southeast Europe: Between Identity Politics and Elite Pragmatism” in Another Empire? A Decade of Turkey’s Foreign Policy under the Justice and Development Party, p. 185-209. D. Bechev, 2012. “A Very Long Engagement: Turkey in the Balkans” in Another Empire? A Decade of Turkey’s Foreign Policy under the Justice and Development Party, p. 209-229. D. Bechev, Turkey in the Balkans: Taking a Broader View, Insight Turkey Vol. 14 / No. 1 / 2012pp. 131-146 Kemal Kirisci, The Transformation of Turkish Foreign Policy: The Rise of the Trading State, New perspectives on Turkey 40, March 2009., 29-54. Populari, A Political Romance: Relations between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2014. Alida Vracic, Turkey’s Role in the Western Balkans, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik German Institute for International and Security Affairs, 2016. Birgul Demirtas-Coskun, Turkish-Bulgarian Relations in the Post-Cold War Era: The Exemplary Relationship in the Balkans, The Turkish Yearbook, 25-60. Cristian Diaconescu, The EU Gate to Black Sea Regional Cooperation: A Romanian-Turkish Common Ground, Turkish Foreign Policy Quarterly, Vol. 8, No. 1
Additional Literature
Teaching Methods
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registration Week | |
| 2 | Course Introduction | Maria Todorova, Imagining the Balkans |
| 3 | Framing THE Balkans | Maria Todorova, Imagining the Balkans |
| 4 | Turkish Foreign Policy Towards Balkans Between Two World Wars | Hale 31-55. |
| 5 | Turkish Foreign Policy Towards Balkans During the Cold War | Hale 78-135. |
| 6 | Turkish Foreign Policy During the Wars in Yugoslavia | Hale 194-207. |
| 7 | Turkish-Greek Relations | Hale 194-207. |
| 8 | Midterm Week | |
| 9 | Rise of Turkey as a Trading State | Kirisci, 29-54., Keyman 19-33. |
| 10 | Post-Cold War Relations with the Balkans | Keyman 19-33, Hale 194-207. |
| 11 | Turkey's Foreign Policy Towards Eastern Balkans | Demirtas-Coskun 25-60. |
| 12 | Turkey's Foreign Policy Towards Western Balkans | Vracic, Turkey's Role in the W. Balkans, Oktem, Wahhabi Intermezzo... |
| 13 | Turkish-Bosnian Relations | Populari, A Political Romance... |
| 14 | Post-2016 Turkish Foreign Policy Towards Balkans | |
| 15 | Revision Week |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 12:00 - 17:00 | B F1.7 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes :
Midterm
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes :
Essay Project
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes :
Attendance
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes :
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Final Exam
3 hours ⏳ (1 week × 3 h)
Midterm Exam
3 hours ⏳ (1 week × 3 h)
Lecturing
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Essay Homework
6 hours ⏳ (2 week × 3 h)
Midterm Exam
3 hours ⏳ (1 week × 3 h)
Studying at home
90 hours ⏳ (15 week × 6 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [SPS518] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| SPS518 | Turkish Foreign Policy towards the Balkans | 3 | 0 | 6 | Tuesday 17:00-19:50 | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Jahja Muhasilović | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 12:00-17:00 |
|||||||
| jmuhasilovic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | ||||||||||
| Textbook | Hale, W. 2013. Turkish Foreign Policy 1774-2000. Routledge Oktem, K., New Islamic actors after the Wahhabi intermezzo: Turkey's return to the Balkans, European Studies Center: University of Oxford, December 2010. E. Fuat Keyman, 2012. “Proactivism in Turkish Foreign Policy: The Global-Local Nexus,” in Another Empire? A Decade of Turkey’s Foreign Policy under the Justice and Development Party, p. 19-33. O. Anastasakis, 2012. “Turkey’s Assertive Presence in Southeast Europe: Between Identity Politics and Elite Pragmatism” in Another Empire? A Decade of Turkey’s Foreign Policy under the Justice and Development Party, p. 185-209. D. Bechev, 2012. “A Very Long Engagement: Turkey in the Balkans” in Another Empire? A Decade of Turkey’s Foreign Policy under the Justice and Development Party, p. 209-229. D. Bechev, Turkey in the Balkans: Taking a Broader View, Insight Turkey Vol. 14 / No. 1 / 2012pp. 131-146 Kemal Kirisci, The Transformation of Turkish Foreign Policy: The Rise of the Trading State, New perspectives on Turkey 40, March 2009., 29-54. Populari, A Political Romance: Relations between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2014. Alida Vracic, Turkey’s Role in the Western Balkans, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik German Institute for International and Security Affairs, 2016. Birgul Demirtas-Coskun, Turkish-Bulgarian Relations in the Post-Cold War Era: The Exemplary Relationship in the Balkans, The Turkish Yearbook, 25-60. Cristian Diaconescu, The EU Gate to Black Sea Regional Cooperation: A Romanian-Turkish Common Ground, Turkish Foreign Policy Quarterly, Vol. 8, No. 1 | |||||||||
| Additional Literature | ||||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
| Teaching Methods | ||||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Online | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Registration Week | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Course Introduction | Maria Todorova, Imagining the Balkans | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Framing THE Balkans | Maria Todorova, Imagining the Balkans | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Turkish Foreign Policy Towards Balkans Between Two World Wars | Hale 31-55. | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Turkish Foreign Policy Towards Balkans During the Cold War | Hale 78-135. | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Turkish Foreign Policy During the Wars in Yugoslavia | Hale 194-207. | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Turkish-Greek Relations | Hale 194-207. | ||||||||
| Week 8 | Midterm Week | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Rise of Turkey as a Trading State | Kirisci, 29-54., Keyman 19-33. | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Post-Cold War Relations with the Balkans | Keyman 19-33, Hale 194-207. | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Turkey's Foreign Policy Towards Eastern Balkans | Demirtas-Coskun 25-60. | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Turkey's Foreign Policy Towards Western Balkans | Vracic, Turkey's Role in the W. Balkans, Oktem, Wahhabi Intermezzo... | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Turkish-Bosnian Relations | Populari, A Political Romance... | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Post-2016 Turkish Foreign Policy Towards Balkans | |||||||||
| Week 15 | Revision Week | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | Not Allowed | ||
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm | 1 | 30 | Not Allowed | ||
| Essay Project | 1 | 20 | Not Allowed | ||
| Attendance | 1 | 10 | Not Allowed | ||
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Final Exam | 3 | 1 | 3 | Midterm Exam | 3 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Lecturing | 3 | 15 | 45 | Essay Homework | 3 | 2 | 6 | |||
| Midterm Exam | 3 | 1 | 3 | Studying at home | 6 | 15 | 90 | |||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 27/03/2026 | |||||||||