RECENT ASSIGNMENT

Department of Modern History, Politics and International Relations
Faculty of Arts, Macquarie University POL108 INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL POLITICS
Major Research Essay Questions
Due Date: Tuesday 8 October 2019 by 9 am
Assessment value: 40%
Word Count: 1500 words (excluding bibliography and referencing)
Submission: via the Turn-it-in link on the ilearn website for this subject
Referencing Styles: Use only either the Oxford or Harvard referencing styles.
Format Requirements
Font size: 12
Font: Arial or Times New Roman
Spacing: 1.5 inch spacing
Title Page: Each assignment should have a cover page with the essay title written on it in full, your name, plus your tutorial time and tutor’s name.
Note: Late papers will be penalised at a rate of 2 marks per day. Papers submitted more than 7 days late (including weekends) will not be marked and receive a mark of zero. Please see the unit guide for the policy on extensions and penalties.
Instructions
Sources: A minimum of TEN academic sources (academic books and journals, not including websites) must be referenced in your essay. Failure to follow this stipulation will result in a penalty of up to 20%.
Answer ONE of the following questions:
1. Is state sovereignty being eroded, maintained or transformed? Explain
2. How did the rise and fall of European colonial empires influence the current international order?
3. Some historians and international relations scholars have argued that the outbreak of World War II affirms a ‘realist’ view of international politics. Do you agree? Explain
4. To what extent does George Kennan’s article ‘the Sources of Soviet Conduct’ provide a blueprint for understanding US foreign policy during the Cold War?
5. What are the most likely causes of the end of the Cold War?
6. What are the main points of difference between Realist and Liberal approaches to explaining the causes of war and peace?
7. Do you think that without nuclear weapons, the US and the Soviet Union would have fought a major war? If so (or if not), what do you think this says about the role of nuclear weapons in the international system?
8. Can humanitarian intervention ever be reconciled with the norm of state sovereignty?
9. Could global governance ever lead to world government?
10. Why has the UN only had limited success in establishing a system of collective security?