Before you begin this assignment, please review the course materials from the first three weeks of class with a special focus on the three mainstream theoretical perspectives: realism, liberalism and constructivism. Please pay particular attention to the definitions and general assumptions regarding the behavior and goals of the international actors advocated by each of those theoretical perspectives. Avoid pairing them with domestic perceptions of conservatives, liberals, etc., as they have very little to do with one another. I also recommend reviewing Week 2 forum and additional resources regarding IR Theories.
For this assignment, please write a well-formulated essay on the theoretical perspective which best explains policy formulation by each of the three leaders. I have provided links to relevant information on each person and his policies.
A section for each of the three leaders should be at least 300 words (total for the essay: 900 words). Each of the sections should have two parts:
1. Introduction of the theoretical perspective: focus on the theoretical perspective and basic assumptions. In this part, you need to briefly explain what behavior of international actors the theoretical perspective of your choice explains and what are the basic assumptions this theoretical perspective provides in regards to the international system, the actors, and their behavior.
2. Application of the theoretical perspective to the policies of the leader. In this section, you need to take the examples of the policies and show how they fit with the focus and the assumptions of the theoretical perspective you outlined earlier. Be sure to include specific evidence (e.g. words and/or actions of the leader) to support your points.
Use this pattern (the two parts above) to each of the three sections: Putin, Obama, and Rouhani.