Lesson Report:
### Lesson Report
#### Title:
**Introduction to Identity, Nationalism, and Ethnic Politics**
**Synopsis:**
This inaugural lecture of the course “Nationalism and Ethnic Politics” served as an introduction to the class structure, objectives, and administrative details, while also beginning a foundational discussion on identity. The focus was on understanding identity as a performative and imposed concept that influences both individual and collective behavior, with a special emphasis on its intersection with political decisions. Additionally, the instructor detailed how the class will explore two main themes—nationalism and ethnicity—and the tools and expectations for learning throughout the semester.
—
#### Attendance:
**Absent students (7):**
– Barfiyah
– Ofarid
– Elina
– Anoush
– Mukadas
– Erhan
– Imat
—
#### Topics Covered:
**1. Attendance and Class Introductions:**
– Established the protocol for roll call at the beginning of each class.
– Introductions by students and instructor “Nate,â€� who shared his teaching background, academic expertise, and passion for teaching the topic of Nationalism and Ethnic Politics.
**2. Course Objectives and Structure Overview:**
– Course purpose: To explore the impact of nationalism and ethnicity on politics and decision-making across theoretical and real-world contexts.
– Structure:
– Mondays: Lectures with occasional activities.
– Wednesdays: Seminar-style discussions, group activities, and presentations.
– Major focus points: Defining nationalism and ethnicity, understanding their formation, and analyzing their political implications.
– Three main course sections:
1. Nationalism
2. Ethnicity
3. Intersection of nationalism and ethnicity in politics
**3. Initial Exploration of Identity:**
– **Key Question Introduced:** What is identity, and how does it shape political decisions?
– Collaborative class exercise: Students brainstormed facets of identity, including nationality, uniqueness, language, gender, sexual orientation, religion, race, residence, digital presence, education, age, and status.
– Discussion of identity as:
– **Performative:** Something enacted through actions (e.g., speaking a language, following traditions).
– **Imposed:** Aspects assigned by society or circumstances (e.g., birthplace, first language).
– Interactive discussion on voluntary versus imposed components of identity:
– Students debated the mutability of concepts like nationality, language, gender, and economic status. Contributions included examples of language learning, migration altering identity, and cultural influence on gender norms.
– Key takeaway: Identity intertwines self-selection (choice) with societal imposition, and both influence decisions.
**4. Identity’s Role in Politics:**
– **Impact of identity on political behavior:**
– **Voting:** Regional, cultural, and belief-based alignment with political parties.
– **Protests:** Mobilization based on shared identity and beliefs (e.g., independence movements, civil rights).
– **Collective identity and unity:** How shared experiences (e.g., racial injustice, cultural pride) create solidarity but can also lead to division.
– **Conflict and division:** Collective identity can foster group cohesion while simultaneously alienating or conflicting with other groups, potentially resulting in political instability or violence.
**5. Administrative Details:**
– **Grading criteria:**
– Attendance and participation: 15%.
– Presentation: 15%.
– Midterm exam: 30%.
– Final paper: 40%.
– **Assignments explained:**
– **Presentations:** One per student; analyze a modern article (post-2010) from the syllabus’ weekly topics, draw connections with required readings, and provide a brief in-class discussion (~5 minutes).
– **Midterm exam:** Case-study analysis connecting real-world conflict/political issues (e.g., Rwanda) with theoretical lenses studied in class.
– **Final paper:** A ~7-page literature review tracing scholarly debate on a chosen topic, with integration of a contemporary article.
– **Policies:** Strict attendance criteria (no more than 4 unexcused absences), late submission restrictions, plagiarism avoidance (including use of AI tools).
**6. Course Preview:**
– **Framework for Semester:**
– Begin with nationalism: Definitions, historical development, and theoretical frameworks.
– Transition to ethnicity: Characteristics and influence on politics.
– Conclude with synthesis: Examining nationalism and ethnicity’s intertwining dynamics.
– **Constructivism as a central framework:** This theoretical approach was introduced briefly, with plans to expand next week. It posits that shared identity and beliefs are powerful forces in shaping political behaviors and outcomes.
—
#### Actionable Items:
**General Logistics:**
– Finalize syllabus upload to e-course (expected by Wednesday).
– Announce e-course enrollment key for students to join.
– Randomize presentation schedule for students (to be completed within two weeks).
**Engagement and Preparation:**
– Encourage students to familiarize themselves with theoretical materials from previous courses (e.g., constructivism in political science).
– Assign preliminary reading for Week 2 (to be shared during the Wednesday session).
**Key Deadlines:**
– February 5th: Start of student presentations.
– March 12th: In-class midterm exam.
—
This report captures the details of the class and offers a clear progression framework for tracking the course’s development. Let me know if more information is required!
Homework Instructions:
NO HOMEWORK
No homework was assigned during this lesson. The professor specifically stated towards the end of the class that there would be “no required reading for today, of course, because not much to read,” indicating that students were not given any take-home assignments or activities for this session.