For this assignment you will choose a world event (EVENTS LISTED BELOW , CHOOSE ONE).  Explain which states are involved, if there are any non-state actors, international governmental organizations  or non governmental organizations involved in the conflict. Also identify a few of the key individuals involved.  Then lastly, and here’s the tricky part, decide which theory ( realism, liberalism and constructivism. Please pay particular attention […]

Freedom of speech is the most protected basic human right that Americans have.  “The First Amendment reads, ‘Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech.’ Even so, not all types of speech are protected. Obscenity, for example is unprotected; offensive speech, by contrast, is protected; and hate speech may or may not be protected.” (Ivers, 2013).  This says nothing about virtual freedom of speech […]

Both China and Russia have changed profoundly in recent decades, although many have observed a high degree of continuity as well.  Pick one of the two countries and discuss how it has changed politically since the days either of Mao Zedong or of the Soviet Union.  To what extent has there been continuity in their political structures and practices?  To what extent do you believe […]

The clause in question is Article I, section 8 as you noted. We refer to it as the Interstate Commerce clause because it allows Congress to regulate the exchange of goods across state lines and between the states and foreign countries. Yet, it says nothing about regulating the exchange or sale of goods solely within a single state. In the case mentioned, Gonzales v. Raich […]

The Contemporary International SystemPrepare: Read Chapters 5, 6, and 7 of the course text. Reflect: Realist, liberal, and identity perspectives provide excellent insights into today’s contemporary world. The realist perspective generally emphasizes the importance of power in international politics. In general, power is the capacity to influence others to do things that they would otherwise not be likely to do. Power is derived from many sources, but […]

Globalization and ChangePrepare: Read Chapters 8, 9, and 10 of the course text. Reflect: As we have determined in previous lessons, the different IR perspectives offer unique insights into the phenomenon of globalization. For example, from a realist perspective, the source of globalization lies with the influential states that shape the international system. For the liberal perspective, certain types of technological and economic developments have driven the […]

The right to privacy protect a women’s right to have an abortion because, the court or a judge cannot use the way the feel about something to make a ruling “In determining which rights are fundamental, judges are not left at large to decide cases in light of their personal and private notions. Rather, they must look to the “traditions and [collective] conscience of our […]

The right to privacy is not explicitly provided within the United States Constitution even though it is referenced in the Fourth Amendment.  Privacy rights are considered fundamental rights in which those are protected throughout the Constitution.  In the 20th century the courts have ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment protects the fundamental liberties of parents and marriage.  “Griswold and Eisenstadt v. Baird (1972) established the constitutional […]

IR Theories: Strengths and WeaknessesPrepare: Read the Introduction and Chapter 1 of the course text. Reflect: Perspectives have been described as “a statement or a hypothesis that explains the primary cause of what is happening—for example a struggle for power causes conflict and sometimes war” (Nau, 2017, p. 4). Our ability to describe, explain, and predict international relations (IR) are valuable skills that enable political scientists to […]

While the realist perspective focuses on the balance of power, the liberal perspective focuses on the role of institutions, and the identity perspective focuses on ideas over power, “the critical theory perspective emphasizes all the primary causes and levels of analysis at once and adopts a holistic interpretation of reality, one that cannot be broken down into separate causes and effects or tested by rationalist […]