Political Eaasy

You are expected to do your own research and provide references for any factual information used to support your arguments. You are also expected to use no less than 6 sources in your essay. These sources must come from scholarly journals, published books, or anything of an equivalent legitimacy (NO WIKIPEDIA!!). You may use your textbooks or lecture notes if desired; however they will not count towards your 6 required sources. You can use any writing and citation style, so long as it is concise and includes the necessary information.

Your own unique contribution to the essay is essential. Do not simply quote passages from the reading material or provide a descriptive summary of the literature. Exclaim to the reader what YOU think by how you present your argument, and then use the material to back up your arguments.

Questions :

1. Why are there so many gun homicides (and gun violence in general) in the United States compared to other developed democracies? What possible explanations are there?

2. Are economic conditions for a society linked with the emergence of democracies and non-democracies?

3. Is Russia a democracy under the Putin regime?

4. Why has forcing democracy worked in some situations (such as Japan), but not in others (such as Iraq)? What does this say about the ability to spread democracy elsewhere?

5. Is proportional representation the way to go? Explain why democracies should or should not pursue its inclusion over others.

6. Why is terrorism so difficult to define? Examine the nuances in providing such a definition, the debates surrounding the study of terrorism, and why so many preeminent specialists on this topic continue to disagree.

7. Are democratic regimes inherently less likely to commit genocide at home or abroad?

8. Is it realistic to think that all genocides can be prevented or suppressed?

Evaluation :

The essay will be evaluated on the following attributes:

1. How thoroughly do you engage with the course material and other sources?

2. How well do you articulate your position? For example, do you agree or disagree with the author’s position and why? How would you pose the issues in a way that is more relevant or persuasive?

3. Were you precise with your wording? Avoid using too many words to get a point across, and make sure your statements serve a purpose.

4. Originality, creativity, and ability to make it your own and interesting for the reader.

5. Was it cleanly written? Pay attention to grammar (sentence structure and use of words), do a spell check, and (have another set of eyes) proof read.

6. Note academic regulations on plagiarism and cheating. Late Penalty:

Late assignments will be penalized by a grade point (e.g. A to A-) for each day they are late (not including weekends). No extensions will be permitted unless illness (which a doctor’s note must be provided) or extraordinary circumstances (which must be discussed with me in advance).

Tips :

1. Start early. It is to your advantage to begin work early instead of leaving them due when you have multiple assignments due. Rushed work shows.

2. Talk to me about your paper before you turn it in. I can help highlight issues with your argument or sources early on, which will allow you the time to correct your writing beforehand. However, understand that I will NOT read rough drafts. I will be happy to talk with you about your thesis statement, and arguments in as much detail as you’d like, but I cannot “pre-grade” your paper.

3. Understand both sides of the issue. To make a really persuasive argument, you need to not only explain your position but you must also effectively refute the opposite. To do that, you’ll need to fully understand both sides of the argument in question.

4. Structure and write your paper with purpose. Make sure your thesis statement is clear and to the point; don’t miss anything important out. In concluding your essay, simply restate your thesis statement to demonstrate how you accomplished your argument.

5. Avoid using “I” in your writing, and stating things as being “obvious”. Demonstrate your point through clear argumentation, but avoid substantiating points simply because they’re your opinion. Similarly, try to avoid claiming things as being obvious, while also understanding that your reader (me) is somewhat versed in the material (so you don’t need to walk the reader through basic concepts).