Choose and complete one essay question from unit 1 or unit 2.
You are encouraged to do your essay early to get feedback before you begin to work on the next
essay. As you plan, write, and revise your paper review the General Guidelines for Assignment and Exam Preparation. Also make use of the optional materials recommended in the syllabus Write a research essay of approximately ten typewritten double-spaced (2,500 words) pages on one of the following topics:
Essay questions for unit 1 and unit 2
Unit 1 questions
- Why is domestic politics so important for International Relations? In your essay account for the
significance of foreign policy.
- The “order” of the international system is anarchical. Is this the best possible structure? Why or
why not?
Include in your essay an overview of other possible orderings for the international
system.
- Should we prioritize International Relations, with military and security issues at the forefront?
Some analysts consider topics of the economy, the environment, or
other concerns less
important. Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Some see China as a challenger to the formerly unmatched strength of the United States
. Do
you agree? Does this
make the world a safer or more dangerous place? In your paper, discuss
the concept
of “hegemony” and whether it still exists today
.
Unit 2 questions
- Is Marxism relevant for contemporary International Relations?
- Democratic Peace Theory (DPT) is considered by some to be the only “provable” theory in
International Relations. Others suggest that it will always be true because of the values of
democratic systems. Do you agree? In your answer, describe how DPT as a theory might fail.
- Is neo-
realism truly different from realism? In what way? Describe the differences between the
two approaches. Do these approaches still present a sufficient perspective for International
Relations today?
- How is feminism critical of International Relations?
