Policy Brief. International Relations Theory To Contemporary Policy.

A maximum 5-page, double-spaced paper that critically engages with course materials by applying international relations theory to contemporary policy concerns.

POL208Y5Y: Policy Brief Assignment Fall Term 2019 The Objective: The objective of this assignment is to have students critically engage with course materials by applying international relations theory to a real-world policy scenario. This assignment is worth 10% of your total grade. The briefs will be due at 3:10pm on 29 October (Week 7). The Policy Scenario: The international system is experiencing renewed change. Indeed, a recent study by the National Intelligence Council suggests that the international system is likely to look very different by the end of the next decade owing to the relative decline of the United States and the relative rise of new great powers, such as China and India. While it is true that the United States is likely to remain the most powerful state in the international system overall, a new multipolar international system seems to be taking form. This would be a system in which power is no longer centralized in any one state, but instead distributed across multiple poles: America, the European Union, China, India, and perhaps other states as well. It would be a world in which the international system is no longer organized according to the interests of a leading global power, but rather by the competing interests of different power centers. In advance of Canada’s federal election later this month, you have been asked by the Privy Council Office to develop a policy brief on the implications of the emergence of a multipolar international system from an international relations theoretical perspective. Your advice as an international relations specialist will inform the incoming government’s foreign policy priorities and positions upon assuming office. Your Task: (1) Identify which theoretical approach covered in class—either realism or liberalism—you believe would be the most effective in helping the incoming Canadian government understand the implications of diffusing power and influence in the international system. Provide a summary of the theory’s main arguments, being sure to clearly identify its assumptions and propositions about state behavior and international politics. [/25] (2) Apply that theoretical perspective in a rigorous manner to assess the implications of diffusing power for the international order. Should we expect increased conflict in the international system as power is redistributed? Or will the rise of emerging powers take place peacefully? How different would a multipolar world be from the contemporary international system? Justify your argument with reference to the assumptions and propositions of your selected theory. [/25] (3) Determine the most important policy the incoming Canadian government should prioritize in formulating its response to the emergence of a multipolar international system. In other words, if you had one recommendation for the incoming Canadian government to position itself appropriately as power diffuses away from the United States and toward emerging powers, what would that recommendation be? [/10] (4) Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using your selected theoretical approach as an analytic tool for understanding this policy scenario. What is gained when employing the theoretical perspective you have chosen? What are its weaknesses and shortcomings? [/25] 1 (5) Format and polish your brief to ensure clarity of exposition, proper grammar, and spelling. The Privy Council Office has also provided a set of formatting requirements: [/15] • Title page: there is no need for a title page. • Font, margins, and spacing: 12pt font, 1 inch margins, double-spaced. • Page limit: there is a strict 5 page limit. This includes all footnotes and/or in-text citations. It does not include the bibliography. • Sources: there is no set number of sources required for this brief—use as many sources as you need to provide the most compelling analysis possible. At a minimum, reference to the required readings from Week 3 and/or Week 4 would be prudent when sketching out your selected theory for the Identify section of the brief. Please remember that any and all sources consulted must be properly cited. This includes class readings, lectures, and any additional sources consulted for the purposes of this assignment. Students are encouraged to go beyond the class materials with references from the wider literature, where appropriate. • Can you use lectures as sources? While students should not rely exclusively on lectures, lectures can be used as sources for the purposes of this assignment. However, you must take extra care that you are citing sources correctly. For example, if the lecture is discussing ideas found in the readings, you must go to the original source and cite the authors that came up with the idea (i.e. don’t cite my lecture if you are referring to another author’s idea!) • Citation style: any citation style may be used, but you must be consistent. If you are unsure which style to pick, we strongly recommend you use the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) with Author Date in-text citations. For a guide, see Michael Kaler’s presentation slides (posted alongside this assignment on Quercus) • Footnotes vs. endnotes: we recommend students use the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) with Author Date in-text citations; however, should you use a different citation style, please use footnotes; do not use endnotes. • Bibliography: a full bibliography that includes all materials referenced must be included with the paper (again, this does not count toward the page limit). Where to Submit Students are to submit the policy brief online via the course’s Quercus site. Please note: we do not want nor require hard copies. Please save paper! A Comment on Format For the purposes of this assignment, students should feel free to write in a format that best suits them—whether that means writing this assignment as a traditional academic essay or as an actual hypothetical policy brief for the incoming government. Regardless of the format you choose, please keep the following in mind: (i) you want to provide a concise summary of your chosen theory; (ii) help your reader understand the implications of the redistribution of power across the international system from the perspective of that theory; (iii) identify at least one policy recommendation that follows from your analysis that would be pertinent for the incoming Canadian government; and (iv) evaluate the pros and cons of the theory you have chosen. Keep an eye on the relative mark weighting of the different components of the assignment; that should guide how much space you devote to each. 2 Reminder: Department Policy on Late Papers Late assignments will be subject to a late penalty of 5% per day (including weekends). Assignments submitted five calendar days beyond the due date will be assigned a grade of zero. Accommodations due to late registration into the course will not be approved. If the assignment was missed for reasons entirely beyond the student’s control, a written request for special consideration may be submitted to your TA within one week of the missed assignment. This request must explain the reason for missing the assignment and include appropriate documentation (e.g. Verification of Student Illness or Injury Form, www(dot)illnessverification(dot)utoronto(dot)ca). Note that assignments or tests from other courses scheduled for the same day do not constitute acceptable reasons—please plan accordingly. In the interest of absolute clarity: an assignment that is submitted at 3:11pm on 29 October 2019 will be considered late. Technical problems with your workstation (computer, internet connection, etc.) will not be accepted as a valid reason for lateness. It is your responsibility to ensure you upload your assignment on time. Reminder: Course Policy on Regrading Assignments If you believe there was an error in grading your assignment, you may submit via email a maximum one-page, double-spaced explanation to the TA that graded it detailing why you believe there was an error. You must be as specific as possible, with reference to the assignment and/or comments provided by the TA. If the TA disagrees with your complaint, they will inform me. I will then randomly select a different TA to regrade the assignment in full. Be aware: (1) your entire assignment will be re-graded (not just a particular section); and (2) your overall mark is subject to go up, stay the same, or go down. You must submit regrade requests no later than two weeks after your assignment is returned. A Final Reminder About Plagiarism Plagiarism is a major academic offense and will be treated accordingly. Students are required to familiarize themselves with and conform to the University of Toronto’s policies on Academic Honesty. Additional information can be found in the “A Warning About Plagiarism” leaflet attached to the end of the course syllabus. And please remember: we will be using the Turnitin service to catch plagiarism for this assignment! 3