Assignment
Length: 2000 words.
Learning Outcomes:
1) Identify and distinguish between the main theories of IR;
2) Understand the central debates in contemporary international studies;
3) Describe the nature of units and social structures within the contemporary international system.
Task
1) From recent years Chinese representatives have claimed that their country is embarked on a "peaceful rise", meaning that China will emerge as a major world power in a peaceful manner, without major disruption to the international system. Some scholars think, however, that a change in the general distribution of power in the international system occasions major war, or comes about through major war. Give arguments supporting "peaceful rise" as a theoretically plausible concept.
2) For more than a decade some academics and political actors have been declaring that the sovereign state is just about dead. The reality is that the states are still here and it doesn't seem that they will soon disappear. Indicate how has the concept of sovereignty changed and to what extent, and in which areas, has national autonomy become weaker, and to what extent and in which areas has national autonomy become stronger?
3) Many academic realists opposed the 2003 Iraq invasion. They argued that this opposition followed logically from their theory/theories of International Relations. Some are sceptical of this. Drawing on your knowledge of realism, make the realist case against invasion.
4) Some observers see globalization as a recent process, occurring over the last few decades, and producing lasting changes in the structure of global politics; others view globalization more as a long-run historical process, one which decline and rise over time. (i) briefly define "globalization"; (ii) discuss the impact of globalization on the following domestic policy areas -taxation and -environmental; and (iii) discuss whether globalization, given your response in section (ii), is "something new" or part of a longer-range historical process.
5) Last year's we can see that US is a highly politically divided country. One of the central contemporary debates regarding US foreign policy has been between those who claim that US assertion of national interest in a unilateral manner is good politics and likely to be effective in achieving its goals, and those who consider US policy most effective if it unfolds within a multilateral framework. Discuss these contending claims, highlighting normative, theoretical and empirical differences between them regarding traditional issues of international politics such as realism, power, hegemony, trade, diplomacy, and alliance politics.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
(1) The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
(2) The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
(3) Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.