Why has the international community failed to effectively tackle this global problem?

INSTRUCTIONS/ Prompt attached below.
Background Readings attached below. Please note that these readings are meant to serve as a starting point for your research. You are encouraged to do additional research beyond the limited list provided here.

Goals
The goal of this assignment is to articulate and apply a theory of international relations to a realworld global issue and to compare the strengths of each theory in helping us better understand
that issue. This will allow you to develop analytical and critical thinking skills, in that you will
be evaluating real-world facts in light of theoretical claims, demonstrating how certain evidence
supports a given argument, and critically reflecting on the strengths and weaknesses of each
theory in this case. Policymakers, strategists, consultants, and managers in a broad range of
professions are often called on to deploy these evidence-based analytical and critical writing
skills
Choose
ONE of three issues that have been of recent concern in and for international politics:
global climate change, the global refugee crisis, or the global COVID-19 pandemic. While one
of these issues might be more familiar or of more concern to you, they share a few common
elements. All three point to common concerns for the vast majority of citizens and governments
around the world, such as human health, security, and the longevity of the planet. All threedemand international coordination, collaboration, and cooperation to address their root causes as
well as their immediate effects. For all three, this requires—and may even depend on—
widespread participation by a range of non-state or non-governmental actors. Finally, attempts to
address all three are currently ‘stuck’ at the stage of international negotiations or unilateral
actions, with few global solutions of questionable effectiveness.
First, use one theoretical approach covered (any variant of realism, liberalism, constructivism, or
critical IR theory) to understand, explain, and analyze international attempts (and failures) at
addressing one of these issues. Why has the international community failed to effectively tackle
this global problem? Clearly identify the main assumptions of your chosen theoretical
perspective; articulate how the theory goes about understanding actors’ behaviors and the factors
it considers important; and drawing on facts and evidence found within background readings,
provide a theoretically informed analysis of why states have failed to effectively address this
issue.
In the second half of the paper, anticipate, articulate, and respond to what you see as the
strongest theoretical counter argument. In other words, identify one other theoretical perspective
that may also shed light on your chosen issue. Articulate why your first theoretical approach
provides a more persuasive framework for understanding international attempts (and failures) at
tackling it. In doing so, consider both the strengths of your second theoretical approach and why
it is ultimately less persuasive.

In writing your paper, take a step back and reflect on which theoretical approaches you find most
helpful in thinking through these problems of global concern. Which approach(es) help you to
understand and/or explain current international attempts (and failures) to deal with this issue?
How might we think of other possible ways to tackle it? What can IR theory tell us about these
other possibilities? That is, which theoretical approaches might provide useful insights into a
way forward? These are complex global issues that policymakers, academics, scientists, and
activists are still actively debating, so we do not expect you to find “the answer.” The purpose of
the assignment is to encourage you to take a step back and reflect on the (in) adequacy of IR
theories to understand global problems, and to consider the implications of this for the
relationship between theory and policy. A few readings about each topic are posted on the course
Canvas. You may conduct outside research if you find it helpful, but you will not be graded
specifically on your research. Please be sure to cite all sources used appropriately.

Advice
1. Papers will be evaluated primarily on the application of the core claims of IR theory. Be sure
to identify a theory’s primary actors and key explanatory factors and provide a clear connection
between a theory’s arguments and the real-world facts of the issue you choose.
2. Be sure to define terms when you first use them. If your friends who are not in this class
would not know what “norm” or “institution” mean, you should probably define the term, at least
in a footnote.
3.You should integrate course materials (readings, lectures, and discussions) and cite
appropriately. Any citation style is permissible, so long as consistent.
4.Use your introduction wisely. Don’t repeat the question. Don’t make general statements that
don’t advance your argument. Starting with a quotation is rarely useful.
5. Every paragraph should start with a paragraph thesis statement that tells us (the readers) the
point that you are making with all the sentences in that paragraph and how it relates to the
topic/argument. If you can’t do this in a sentence, there’s too much going on in your paragraph,
so break it up into multiple paragraphs. Students often err by failing to break up their writing into
digestible paragraphs; this failure tends to denote a lack of organized thinking.
6. Avoid passive voice and use active voice.

Background Readings attached below. Please note that these readings are meant to serve as a starting point for your research. You are encouraged to do additional research beyond the limited list provided here.

USE THESE LINKS PROVIDED AND OTHERS ATTACHED AS WELL

OHCHR and migration
https://www.ohchr.org/en/issues/migration/pages/migrationandhumanrightsindex.aspx

Channel patrol: Priti Patel’s harsh regime is ‘answer to a crisis that doesn’t exist’
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jul/11/channel-patrol-priti-patels-harsh-regime-is-answer-to-a-crisis-that-doesnt-exist

Nations ordering booster shots while others need first jabs: WHO
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/12/dont-order-boosters-while-other-nations-still-need-vaccines-who

Coronavirus causes global rest in civil unrest: Report
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/17/report-coronavirus-causes-global-rise-in-civil-unrest

Biden faces tough road in push to reform US immigrants: experts
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/1/biden-faces-tough-road-in-push-to-reform-us-immigration

How COVID-19 changed the world
https://www.brookings.edu/research/how-covid-19-changed-the-world-g7-evidence-on-a-recalibrated-relationship-between-market-state-and-society/

The End of Immigration Detention Doesn’t mean the End of Fortress Europe
https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/07/31/coronavirus-asylum-end-immigration-detention-spain-france-end-of-fortress-europe/

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