Introduction To International Relations Course In Political Science Instructions

“Will Oil Drown the Arab Spring?”

Introduction to International Relations course in political science

Instructions: The purpose of the term paper is to apply some of the ideas and frameworks learned in class to the critical examination of a theory and a proposed course of action. Students are to address the questions detailed below, to Michael Ross’ “Will Oil Drown the Arab Spring? (Foreign Affairs, Vol.90, No.15, September/October 2011). The article is downloadable from the library – look for Foreign Affairs under Journal Titles. Answers are to be five to six typed pages, double-spaced The paper is to include at least three book references, two academic (not newspaper) journal citations, and a citation from the internet, that are related to providing evidence of your claims in the term paper(baiscally, 6 sources in total). Footnotes and a bibliography must be included, with citation formats (MLA). Additional library research that contributes to the writing of the paper is encouraged.

The Question: What is the author’s argument, and what is the theory behind it? Drawing on what you’ve learned in the course and on what he discusses, how does he rank the variables that he discusses? Which underlying assumption: the realist focus on power, the constructivist focus on ideas, or liberal emphasis on institutions, forms part of his explanation and makes the greatest sense? Do you agree with his diagnosis of the situation and do his recommendations follow from his analysis? If you agree with his argument, then speculate and anticipate the type of counter-arguments that his critics would make, and explain how they would be wrong. If you disagree with him, explain the weaknesses in his argument and propose a better, alternative strategy and solution. Outline, based on your own analysis, the best policy recommendation for avoiding the outcome the author is outlining.

At the beginning of the paper, in the form of an arrow diagram, relate (+/-) the independent variables to the main dependent variable the author is discussing in his article.