FOR A-PLUS WRITER ONLY

Pick one of the following essay topic options below and write a 2-page (700-900 words,
Times New Roman, single-spaced, 12 pts) essay on it. Both questions require you do some
substantial research online, so make sure to give yourself enough time for research AND
writing.

Essay option 1:
Topic: Climate Change.
Describe the issue / points of conflict: What is it? What is the history of the issue, and what is
the current state of it? Who are the various parties involved in this issue (In the U.S. and
beyond)? Which positions do they hold? Which arguments are put forward? What is at stake
for each of these groups?
Analysis: Pick two or three positions/groups (e.g. Climate deniers in the U.S., 350org., and
Obama administration). Then think (and write) about the classed, gendered, racial aspects of
the issue. Think (and write) about the ways in which certain positions on climate Who and/or
what does one position (or solution) serve?
Connections: How does these relationships connect to the themes and topics we have covered
in class?

Essay option 2:
Topic: U.S. Elections
Describe the issue / points of conflict: Pick two candidates (Clinton, Sanders, or Trump) and
tell me about their respective positions on foreign policy, refugees, taxation, climate change,
unemployment (or any other issue you think is important. Pick three). Which arguments are
put forward?
Analysis: Think about the classed, gendered, racial (therefore political and economic) aspects
of what these candidates are saying. Which economic classes one position serve?
Connections: How does these relationships connect to the themes and topics we have covered
in class?

Resources:
Wikipedia might be a start, but not enough. Use Google cleverly and creatively. Do research
in online databases of newspapers, daily journals, blogs, etc.
http://www.nytimes.com/
http://www.theguardian.com/
http://scholar.google.com/schhp?hl=en&inst=1967041857304321720
Be creative!
Do not say you “like” someone or something in an essay. Readers will not care. Tell me what
you “think”, “argue”, “claim” and so on. And support your argument.
If you are making an argument, defend it.
You should not limit your essay to answering ALL of these questions and ONLY these
questions. You’ve been following the lectures, reading the book, you know what the issues
are about. You just need to reflect them back on current issues.
Good luck!