International Relation

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Introduction to International Relations

perspec t ives essay

The idea here is to choose an event, or topic, related to international relations and discuss it from the perspective of the theoretical traditions of realism, liberalism and critical theory. This is to say, you will be analyzing a question of interest to you through these three different intellectual lenses.

Structural Considerat ions

Title

Include two dimensions in your title: descriptive language referring to the paper’s subject- matter and, by way of sub-title, language that speaks to your main point or argument.

Introduction

In terms of your introduction, make clear why the study of this event, or topic, is important, provide a sense of the chief intellectual challenge [the main issue of generalizable interest within the story] posed by your subject-matter, offer a statement of your argument regarding the most useful of the theories [or in combination], and conclude with a brief overview of the paper. (Allow one page - in two paragraphs - for your introduction.)

I . Context

This section is where you will establish the groundwork for your analysis. You can begin with a brief description of your event, locating your event, or topic, within the larger historical context. Provide a sufficient level of background information for the reader without allowing this section to dominate the paper. (One, or one and a half, pages should suffice here.)

II . Theories

In this part of the paper, you can (a) provide a brief statement regarding the basic assumptions of our three main theoretical traditions – realism, liberalism and critical theory - and (b) how each of them might (i) interpret the causes of the event or topic; (ii) its characteristics and (iii) its consequences. (Allow yourself two pages for this section.)

III. Evaluation

Here you can provide your evaluation as to which of these theoretical perspective (or perhaps several in combination) might be most insightful in making intelligible the event or topic under review. You might break this section into three main points you would like to make. (This should be the longest part of the paper.)

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Conclusion

In your conclusion, restate the main intellectual issue surfacing from your event or topic. Then restate what you take to be the main point to emerge from your analysis. And, finally, offer comments as to how these theories might help (or not, as the case may be) us to better understand events in future. (In a way that mirrors the introduction, give one page (two paragraphs) to the conclusion.)

Technical Considerat ions

Sources

The use of books will be important for this exercise. In terms of academic articles, the Jstor site will be very important here, as will Project Muse and a number of other aggregates available from your library service. Look too for newspaper coverage in the Times of London, New York Times and other publications.

Style

About the style of the composition, three quick points should suffice. First, you will not need a title page. (name, course number in upper left or right). Second, use only times new roman and standard margins. Use twelve-point font (double-space) for the paper and ten- point (single-space) for your footnotes. Third, in addition to your paper title, use the section- headings provided in these guidelines to announce points of transition in the essay.

Citat ions

Please use footnotes after the fashion of the Chicago Manual of Style, in times new roman and bring them down to ten point font. Also, provide a bibliography.