Objective
The objective of this assignment is to give students the opportunity to pursue a topic of
their interest in relation to the course topic. It further seeks to strengthen student research
and writing abilities while deepening their knowledge on a particular issue in relation to
private authority in global governance.
Instructions
Students are expected to write a 12-15 double-spaced (12-point font Times New Roman)
research paper on a topic of their choosing in relation to the course (private authority in
global governance). The paper is expected to be a theoretically-informed positionbased paper that demonstrates the students’ grasp of the course topic, the particular issue
of their choosing, and theory as well as senior-level research, analysis, and writing
abilities.
The topic must be in relation to private authority in global governance. Private authorities
may include multinational corporations, global civil society actors (i.e. NGOs, social
movements, religious movements), and/or illicit actors (i.e. terrorist groups or organized
crime). Attention to private authority must be at the international/global level (not at the
domestic level). Topics may include, for example, how these actors engage with each
other, how one or more of them relate with states, international organizations, and/or
international law, the implications these actors have for a specific area of global
governance (i.e. development, environmental protection, refugee assistance), or another
topic that is approved by the instructor.
The theoretical component of the paper can be approached in a number of ways. Students
may choose to apply a particular theoretical perspective in order to make sense of the
particular topic of their choosing. They may also compare theories to their particular
topic and assess which theory does the best job of explaining and/or understanding the
issue.