The limits of politics discussed on the second day of the Political Science and Public Administration symposium

On the second day of the symposium organized on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the School of Political Science and Public Administration of Istanbul Medipol University, two separate sessions were held: “Yesterday and Today, Theory and Practice: Thinking about Continuities and Changes with System, Actor, and Context” and “Thinking about the Future of Politics: Are There Still Limits? Posthumanism and Futuristic Politics: Thinking about the Future with System, Actor, and Context.” The first panel, held in the South Campus Conference Hall, addressed theoretical and practical continuities in political science. The first session of the symposium was moderated by Prof. Ahmet Demirel from Istanbul Medipol University, and the second by Prof. Bekir Berat Özipek. The speakers of the first panel were Prof. Ruşen Keleş, Prof. İlter Turan, and Prof. Ersin Kalaycıoğlu. The second panel of the symposium addressed post-humanism and futuristic political understanding; Prof. Süleyman Seyfi Öğün, Assoc. Prof. Yaylagül Ceran Karataş, and Prof. Alim Yılmaz evaluated the interdisciplinary aspect of political science and how it will be shaped in the future.

PROF. KELEŞ: BALANCE BETWEEN GOALS AND RESOURCES IS A MUST   
Prof. Keleş touched upon the relationship between planning and politics in his speech, stating that planning is a rational form of behavior and said: “Planning is about balancing the goals you want to achieve with the resources you have, and choosing the tools that will get you closer to your goals.” Stressing that planning and politics cannot be separated, Prof. Keleş added: “Planners cannot ignore politics, and politicians should not see planning as a restrictive element.” Finally, Prof. Keleş stated that planners should understand political processes and the balance of power, and that politicians should grasp technical knowledge and see planning as a guiding tool, not a burden.

PROF. TURAN: THE FIELD OF POLITICAL SCIENCE SHRINKS UNDER AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES 
Prof. İlter Turan evaluated the historical development of the discipline of political science and its place in Türkiye. Based on his own academic background, Prof. Turan explained how political science has changed over time and how it interacts with other disciplines. Noting that political science has become interdisciplinary, Prof. Turan said that research is now conducted by drawing on various fields, such as sociology, psychology, and anthropology. Prof. Turan, who stated that his first fieldwork was on the society’s view of the parliament, noted that they conducted research with Prof. Ersin Kalaycıoğlu examining rural development projects in terms of political variables.