Assignment:
The student is required to write a Capstone Paper which is worth 200 points. This core assignment shall require the student to:
1) exhibit an insightful understanding of at least three (3) societies from three (3) different continents, one of which must be the United States and two of which must be non-western;
2) display an understanding of the political and economic systems of those diverse societies and the effects that changes in those systems have had on society and individuals, including women and ethnic groups;
3) exhibit an understanding of how political, economic, and other ideologies affect society; and
4) cite references from books, magazines, scholarly journals, and the internet.
The Capstone Paper shall be at least five double-spaced typewritten pages in length and conform to conventions of grammar, punctuation and spelling. You can select from the following four options:
Option 1 Describe the economic and political systems of three countries on three different continents (one of which is the United States and the other two non-western) in the 20th Century. Compare their political and economic systems and discuss the effects on each country s relative progress in achieving economic growth, and fair distribution of income and economic opportunity.
Option 2 Trace the historical changes in the economic and political systems in three countries on three different continents (one of which is the United States and the other two non-western) and discuss the impact of political, economic, social, and philosophical ideas in these changes.
Option 3 Trace and compare the historical treatment of women and minorities compared to white males or other dominant class in the United States and two other non-western countries on different continents, in terms of economic and political justice.
Option 4 Negotiate something different than the comparison options above with your instructor.
Students may find the following internet websites helpful in preparing to write the Capstone Paper. Use a Google search if any of these links are not working:
- The Commanding Heights website offers a comprehensive overview of global economic history from the beginning of World War I through 2002. Along with short video clips, it includes extensive interviews, essays, charts, reports, an interactive atlas of history, and economic data related to the topics of globalization, economic development, and international trade.
- The CIA s World Factbook is a great resource for basic country information. Go to where it says Select a Country and scroll down to the country you are interested in.
- The Library of Congress provides considerable detail about countries and their economies and societies.
- The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) website is a great source for information about the economies of different countries arranged by topic and by country.
- The ECONOMIST website has excellent articles on economic events in different countries.
- The United Nations Economic and Social Development website at contains much useful information. Their Human Development Reports at are also helpful.
- Both current news and specific country information are also available at the International Monetary fund website and the World Bank website.