Category: Political science

1) Watch a news program or listen to a podcast that is at least 30 minutes long once a week, this can be any network or an online source as long as it is a mainstream news source (from the week of feb 11th 2024) NO PUNDITRY SHOWS Write a one-page paper with a header that includes the name of the program, the dates/times watched, and the channel/source. 3) The bulk of the one-page paper should connect at least one of the course readings  (course reading is in the files below)

I was given back my midterm exam because I got a grade of D (55)
The professor is giving me a chance to resubmit the midterm. I need assistance with fixing my errors. Attached is my midterm exam and instructions for review. I also attached the documents on which the midterm is based.

You will use a statistical software – SPSS – to run data analysis. SPSS is available on every campus computer. As an MMU student, you can download SPSS from the university website and install it on your own laptop/computer. Here is the link on how to download and install SPSS on your own

The essay can be on any topic from the semester but should include some discussion of current events that occurred during the semester
or will soon occur (Russia/Ukraine or Israel/Hamas wars, 2024 election, news coverage, etc.). The goal is for you to explain how the event relates to the course reading and to display your knowledge of the course material. I will allow for a very broad interpretation of what counts as a political current event as I am most interested in your discussion of the course material. Please cite the relevant course material and outside sources (news, articles, etc.) in your essay. The final essay needs to be approximately 1500 words.

For this assignment, you will write a research paper on a current event in
American politics and you will also present your research by creating a meme
about it. You may choose any current event as long as it is an ongoing political
issue in the United States. If you’re not sure if your topic is appropriate, please run
it by me.
Once you select your current event, there are three components to this assignment,
totaling 35% of your final grade.
1) Write a Short Essay (20%): The first step in this assignment is to write a
research paper (3-4 pages) about your topic. The purpose of this essay is to better
understand the complexity and nuance of your chosen issue, and to then make an
argument about what you think is taking place.
The quality of your research paper will depend on the quantity and quality of the
research you conduct, and you must use at least one academic research source (see
research handout for more information about conducting effective research).
However, it is not enough to simply share the information you have found, as you
must think about that information, and come to a conclusion about what you think
is happening with your current event. Your conclusion will then become the
argument that you make in your paper, and all of your research will become the
evidence you use to support your argument.
Your essay will be graded on the strength of your argument and on your ability to
use your research as evidence supporting it.
2) Make a Meme (10%): Once you finish your essay (or when you’re closed to
being finished), the next step is to turn your research into a meme. Usually this
will involve the argument you are making, because you’re argument is the main
point you want to convey about your issue. But now, you need to think about how
you might convey that same point in a visual form.
To make your meme, you can use free websites like: https://memegenerator.net.
You can select any preexisting meme image, but the text has to be original. And
the challenge is to figure out how to convey your argument about your current
event in one image and just a few short words.
While I will be the only one who reads your research paper, you will post your
meme to the class discussion boards, so that you can share your research with the
whole class.
3) Make a Public Post (5%): Finally, when you post your meme, you also need to
include a short public write-up explaining the meme. This should be no longer
than one or two paragraphs, and it is your opportunity to provide a little bit more
information about your current event. Remember, your classmates will only see
your meme and not your research paper, so this is your chance to explain your
issue in a little more detail.   

There has to be minimum of 7 academic sources, 4 taken from the recommended readings ( which I will list lower) 
Also I will put a plan that I wrote for an essay here ( idk if it’s good enough) 
Essential Seminar Reading:  
Stiglitz, Joseph E (2017).Globalization and its discontents revisited: Anti-globalization in the era of Trump. WW Norton & Company, Chapters 1 and 2 – EBOOK.
Strange, Susan (1999). “The westfailure system.” Review of International Studies 25.3: 345-354.
Recommended Reading:
Appadurai, Arjun (2020). “Globalization and the Rush to History.” Global Perspectives 1.1 (2020): 11656.
Appadurai, Arjun (1990). “Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy”. Theory, Culture & Society, 7(2-3), 295-310.
Chang, Ha‐Joon (2002) “Breaking the mould: an institutionalist political economy alternative to the neo‐liberal theory of the market and the state.” Cambridge Journal of Economics 26.5: 539-559.
Kapstein, Ethan B. (2000) “Winners and losers in the global economy.” International Organization 54.2 : 359-384.
Sassen, Saskia. (2003). “Globalization or Denationalization?” Review of International Political Economy 1–22.
Stiglitz, Joseph E. (2017)  “The overselling of globalization.” Business Economics52: 129-137.
Wallerstein, Immanuel (1983) ‘The Three Instances of Hegemony in the History of the Capitalist World- Economy,’ International Journal of Comparative Sociology 24/1-2: 100-108 
Walter, Stefanie (2021). “The backlash against globalization.” Annual Review of Political Science 24: 421-442.
Great powers 
Essential Seminar Reading:  
*Brown, Chris and Ainley, Kirsten (2005) Understanding International Relations, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, ch. 5
*Bull, Hedley (2012) The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics, Fourth ed., Basingstoke: Palgrave-Macmillan, ch. 9
Recommended Reading:
Ayoob, Mohammed(1991). ‘The Security Problematic of the Third World’, World Politics, 43/2: 257-283 
Mattern, Janice Bially, and Ayşe Zarakol, A. (2016) ‘Hierarchies in World Politics’, International Organization, 70/3: 623-654 
Brown, Chris and Ainley, Kirsten (2005) Understanding International Relations, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, ch.6 – EBOOK
Claude, Inis, L. (1989) ‘The Balance of Power Revisited’, Review of International Studies, 15/2: 77-85
Cooley, Alexander. (2005) Logics of Hierarchy: The Organization of Empires, States, and Military Occupation, Ithaca Cornell University Press    
Donnelly, Jack (2006) ‘Sovereign Inequalities and Hierarchy in Anarchy: American Power and International Society’ European Journal of International Relations, 12/2: 139-170  
Hobson, John M. and Sharman, Jason (2005). ‘The Enduring Place of Hierarchy in World Politics: Tracing the Social Logics of Hierarchy and Political Change’,European Journal of International   Relations, 11/1: 63-98 – EJOURNAL
Jervis, Robert (1978). ‘Cooperation Under the Security Dilemma’, World Politics, 30/2: 167-214 
Morgenthau, Hans (1948). Politics among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace, 4th ed., New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Part 2: International Politics as a Struggle for Power
Zakaria, Fareed (2008). ‘The Future of American Power: How America Can Survive the Rise of the Rest’, Foreign Affairs 87/3: 18-43 – EJOURNAL
Sem B Week 6 / Week 18: EXPLAINING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: Co-operation, International Law and Global Governance
THE QUESTION ON 
Essential Seminar Reading:  
Barnett, Michael and Martha Finnemore (1999) ‘The Politics, Power, and Pathologies of International Organizations,’ International Organization 43/4: 699-723 – EJOURNAL
*Martin, Lisa L. and Beth A. Simmons (2013) ‘International Organization and Institutions’, in Walter Carlsnaes, Thomas Risse and Beth A. Simmons (eds) Handbook of International Relations, London: Sage, pp.326-51
Recommended Reading:
Abbott, Kenneth and Duncan Snidal (1998) ‘Why States Act Through Formal International Organizations’, Journal of Conflict Resolution 42/1: 3-32 – EJOURNAL
Brown, Chris and Ainley, Kirsten (2005) Understanding International Relations, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, ch. 7
Goldstein, Judith et al. (2000) ‘Introduction: Legalization and World Politics,’ International Organization 54/3: 385-399 – EJOURNAL
Haggard, Stephen and Beth A. Simmons (1987) ‘Theories of International Regimes’, International Organization 41/3: 491-517 – EJOURNAL
Kelley, Judith (2007) ‘Who Keeps International Commitments and Why? The International Criminal Court and Bilateral Nonsurrender Agreements,’ American Political Science Review 1013: 573-589 – EJOURNAL
Krasner, Stephen ed., (1983) International Regimes, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, especially the chapter by especially the chapter by Susan Strange 
Karns, Margaret, Mingst, Karen and Stiles, Kendall (2015) International Organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governance, Boulder: Lynne Riener 
Slaughter, Anne-Marie (2009) A New World Order, Princeton: Princeton University Press – EBOOK
Sem B Week 8/ Week 20: EXPLAINING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: Univeralism and Human Rights
Essential Seminar Reading:
Moravcsik, Andrew (2000) ‘The Origins of Human Rights Regimes: Democratic Delegation in   Postwar Europe’ International Organization, 54/2: 217-252 – EJOURNAL
Sikkink, Kathryn (1998) ‘Transnational Politics,International Relations Theory, and Human Rights,’ PS: Political Science and Politics, 31/3: 517-523 – EJOURNAL
*UN (1948) ‘The Universal Declaration of Human Rights’, 10 December 1948
Recommended Reading:
Cole, Wade M. (2015) ‘Mind the Gap: State Capacity and the Implementation of Human Rights Treaties’, International Organization 69/2: 405–441 – EJOURNAL
Goodman, Ryan, and Derek Jinks (2004) ‘How to Influence States: Socialization and International Human Rights Law,’ Duke Law Journal, 54/3: 621-703 – EJOURNAL
Hafner-Burton, Emilie M., and James Ron. (2009). “Seeing double: Human rights impact through qualitative and quantitative eyes.” World Politics 61.2: 360-401.
Hathaway, Oona. (2007) ‘Why Do Countries Commit to Human Rights Treaties?’, Journal of Conflict                                    Resolution 51/4: 588–621 – EJOURNAL
Maldonado-Torres, Nelson. (2021) “On the coloniality of human rights.” The Pluriverse of Human Rights: The            Diversity of Struggles for Dignity. Routledge, 62-82.
Mutua, Makau (2002).  Human rights: A political and cultural critique. University of Pennsylvania Press.
Posner, Eric A. (2014) The Twilight of Human Rights Law, Oxford: Oxford University Press – EBOOK 
Reus-Smit, Christian (2013) Individual Rights and the Making of the International System, New York: Cambridge University Press – EBOOK
Risse, Thomas, Ropp, Stephen C. and Sikkink, Kathryn (eds.) (2013) The Persistent Power of Human Rights: From Commitment to Compliance, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press – EBOOK
PLAN 
What role (if any) do great powers play in the maintenance of the international order today?  
200
Great powers have hierarchical relations between each other and in order to keep peace they need to focus on balances of power, more specifically on external balances such as treaties, alliances , political and economic agreements in order to maintain international order. Power is the ability to exert influence through various means over others, therefore Great powers due to their high order have the ability to control international order. In this essay I will explain the soft and hard power of a Great Power and their relation. As well  focus on the  4 main areas of global governance that shape international order: Global economy and  politics, human rights, environment and security and military operations. 
I. Introduction A. Definition of Great Powers B. Concept of International Order C. Significance of the Topic D. Thesis Statement
300 
Paragraph 1 
1.Explaining Soft and Hard power
Soft power – influence 
Hard power- military and economic power 
How Great powers control and influence international order?
II. Historical Context: Great Powers and the Evolution of the International Order A. Emergence of Great Powers in History B. Shaping of the Modern International Order C. Role of Great Powers in Key Historical Events D. Transition from Bipolar to Multipolar World
500 
Paragraph 2
2 Economic cooperation and political alliances and treaties 
IR economy – international trade: EITHER ON The Bretton Woods conferebce= The International Monetary Fund/ The World Bank, The World Trade Organisation OR ON  on G7, G20 
IR politics- I can talk abt different treaties and alliance specifically on UN 
How it maintains international order?
3 Human Rights 
The global establishment of human rights – 
How is it fixed- 
International law-
eg- the international Court of Justice, The international Criminal Court, the European Court of Human Rights
How it maintains international order?
5 Security and military operations ( Main factor I will be arguing I think) 
– why its important – 
– what role do great powers play in it 
– alliances, treaties, peacekeeping operations 
– examples of successes and international order 
500 case study 
300 analyze and discuss 
200 conclusion 
Conclusion 

Topic: Compare structure and agency
Why is Democracy in trouble?  What threatens democracy?
Evidence that democracy is in trouble
Relationship between wealth and democracy 
Agency
Criteria 
Write a 3-4 page essay answering the specific question asked in the assignment. Use the articles and text provided to write the text. Use class text and articles to provide answer 

Students will develop a final project exploring a question/theme/text/issue of one’s choosing related to our course material. I selected Policy Brief for the format. The goal of this assignment is to clearly and effectively communicate a depth of engagement with the course material, and an understanding of the central concepts, debates, and controversies that constitute the field of American Political Thought. I have attached a copy of the syllabus so you may pick anything related to the works you see there. If you have any further questions, please let me know, thank you.

The academic study of International Relations is in the process of “discovering” history, especially of regions outside of the “the West.” In particular, scholars are now looking to Asia’s past to generate theoretical insights to enrich IR theory in order to overcome Eurocentrism. Given this background, write a review essay after reading ONE of the following two articles. Your essay must succinctly summarize the article’s core argument(s) and tell us how the article contributes to our understanding of great power politics and/or of the making/shaping of the international order. (NOTE: This is a research essay even as it ‘reviews’ one of the essays below. The essays below engage in certain debates. You will need to familiarize yourself with those debates).
a. Peter Perdue, “The Tenacious Tributary System,” Journal of Contemporary China 24:96 (2015): 1002—1014, https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2015.1030949
Also use these references “if appropriate” and relevant:
China’s Challenges and International Order Transition : Beyond Thucydides’s Trap Huiyun Feng and Kai He
Debating worlds: contested narratives of global modernity and world order Book edited by Daniel Deudney; G. John Ikenberry; Karoline Postel-Vinay 2023 Partner Politics:
Russia, China, and the Challenge of Extending US Hegemony after the Cold War in Security Studies Article by Michael Mastanduno 27/05/2019
Global Monetary Order and the Liberal Order Debate in International Studies Perspectives Article by Carla Norrlof; Paul Poast; Benjamin J Cohen; Sabreena Croteau; Aashna Khanna; Daniel McDowell; Hongying Wang; W Kindred Winecoff 01/05/2020
See also attached docs.

Here’s an extra credit opportunity. This assignment is worth 20 points toward your grade 
Please watch the documentary 13th on Netflix then write at least one page about the premise of the documentary by answering the following questions: 
What is the documentary about? Provide a summary
What does the 13th Amendment state? 
What do the people interviewed in the documentary frame the issues related to mass incarceration in relation to the 13th Amendment? Please explain
How was the 13th Amendment used to raise the number of those incarcerated?
How have the two parties contributed to mass incarceration? Please explain
What are the implications of not appearing tough on crimes? 
How is this related to our readings? Please explain