POL 300:04
Research Project Guidelines (2008)

 For the research project, you will pick an important, current problem in world politics,  examine how a relevant part of the United Nations is addressing it, and propose a plan for improving that UN contribution.  Your paper should include the following:

  1. a clear description of the problem, including an examination of the major actors (states, groups of states, NGOs and other nonstate actors, key individuals if any) that shape this issue, how powerful those actors are, and what their interests are;
  2. an analysis of the role the United Nations (and the appropriate specific organ, committee, commission, specialized agency etc.) currently plays with respect to this problem, and the strengths or weaknesses of its contribution;
  3. a plan for improving the UN’s contribution (or that of the specific body within the UN)—including, if appropriate, by reforming the UN/body or creating a new one;
  4. an explanation why the proposed change will ensure the technical capacity, resources, mandate, and organizational structure needed to improve the UN’s contribution;
  5. an analysis of why the proposed plan will be politically viable and have sufficient political support necessary from the major actors identified earlier.

These last three tasks are particularly important as good policy-making involves devising plans to make things better.  You are making an argument, based on your research, for why your proposed plan, including the recommended institutional changes, is the right one to address the problem both technically (i.e. making a real difference in the problem) and politically.    This is an exercise in critical thinking and problem-solving, a chance to explore a particular problem, learn how some part of the UN is involved in addressing it and who the major actors are, and think creatively (but grounded in research and political realities) about how to improve international efforts to address the problem.   

Additional Guidelines

Topic Selection:  Must be approved but can fall under any of the broad range of peace/security, human rights, economic development, or environmental issues as well as issues of UN reform.  Team projects are possible.  Specific examples: HIV/AIDS; maternal and child health; violence against women; child soldiers; sustainable development; alternative energy; UN’s role in Afghanistan, Darfur, Kosovo; governing outer space; climate change; population control; terrorism; international criminal tribunals; migration; responding to natural disasters; drug trafficking; human trafficking; the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; R2P – preventing genocide, ethnic cleansing and future humanitarian disasters; preventive diplomacy; peacekeeping in Southern Sudan, Ethiopia/Eritrea, DR Congo etc.  I strongly urge you to consult with me both on topic selection and on resources. 

Resources:  Peruse the UN book; discover the UN Chronicle in the periodicals section of the library or check it online at http://www.un.org/Pubs/chronicle/index.html  (note, however, that this site does not contain all articles from the print edition); check a particular UN body online for issues currently on its agenda.  A very broad listing of issues on the UN’s agenda can be found at:  http://www.un.org/issues/.  The links will take you to information about key resolutions that have been passed and relevant bodies.  This appears to be a very useful site!  For journal articles, Global Governance is especially valuable on many issues and is available as an electronic journal through the Roesch site )(http://library.udayton.edu/ ) but it appears that you have to search it issue by issue.  UN resolutions, reports, and other documents are important resources for these projects. 

References:  I accept any standard format for footnotes or endnotes, intext references (APA style), and bibliography.  The latter should include all sources you have consulted not just those you cite.  The key is to choose a format and use it consistently and correctly.  Failure to do so can result in points deducted. 

Length:  Final papers should be 12-15 pages in length, not including references or tables and figures. 

Schedule of deadlines:

                Feb. 21                   Preliminary topic due

                Mar. 11                   Preliminary bibliography due

                Apr. 1                     Revised bibliography and detailed outline due

                Apr. 18                   Final papers due by 4PM

 

back to menu