Assignment task:
Overview:
This assignment will help you research a foreign policy issue more deeply. You will need to choose between the 2 issues described below. For this assignment you will assume that you are writing a foreign policy brief for the head of your government department, the Department of State. Please double-space your paper to give me room to make comments. I will post an Announcement with the Memo format and information about citing your sources with footnotes using the Chicago-style Format.
Directions:
Consider the current domestic and international circumstances in recommending your policy stance involving U.S.-China relations. For both cases, consider that in the November 2020 general elections, Joe Biden, the Democrat, was elected president and that the Democrats also won control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
How will you advise the Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, to proceed on one of the following 2 critical issues in our relationship with China. Will you advise the new president to stay the course and continue the policies of the previous Trump administration? If so, explain why. If not, what changes in our policy would you recommend and why?
Issue 1: U.S. Security Concerns in the face of China's claims over islands and shipping routes in the South China Sea.
Issue 2: U.S. Efforts to defend the interests of U.S. businesses and consumers in ongoing trade disputes with China.
Write a brief:
In government departments and agencies, policy analysts write very brief summaries of an issue with recommendations for their department heads. There is no room for fluff or any extensive background. You are telling your boss what they need to know. It may seem that this is easier than writing a 10-page paper about an issue, but it is actually harder. You have to read and learn enough to know what are the critical points of information. Thus, you don't want to just go with the first 2 articles you find. Find sources to cite that you feel are very credible and informative and on point.
Choose either the security or economic issues listed above.
Discuss what U.S. Interests are in your case study.
Determine your recommendations for the U.S. position. You can find helpful information in our textbook and you should find at least 2 articles about your topic.
Include the key information needed to support your recommendation.
Create a 1 page double-spaced summary brief that includes the key considerations behind your recommendation using your articles to support your position. Make certain to include Chicago-style citations at the end of your summary (it's o.k. if they have to go over onto a second page).
Some ideas of places to go for your research:
- You can start with information from the videos we have viewed over the past few weeks. If you are blocked by a paywall, you can view these journals and magazines as well as many newspapers through the PCC online database. For help, try the PCC Library's service called "Ask a librarian."
- PCC Shatford POLSC 1 LibGuide
- New York Times
- Foreign Policy (the journal)
- The Guardian
- Financial Times
- The Economist