POL2503 – Introduction to International Relations and Global Politics
FINAL TAKE-HOME EXAM (Winter 2024)
To be submitted on Brightspace by Friday, April 19, before midnight.
File format: Microsoft Word (.docx or .doc)
File name: 2503_Final_LastName,FirstName.docx (or .doc)
Instructions:
• Choose 2 questions for 2 separate responses of 1000 words each (including references in each response and bibliography at the end of each response). Clearly indicate which questions you are answering.
• Be concise in your responses. Avoid complicated language and get straight to the point.
• You must prioritize readings from the syllabus to find material for your responses. PowerPoint presentations are also allowed. Extract maximum relevant elements from your sources. Please refrain from using external sources beyond the course.
• Cite your sources using your preferred method.
• Each response requires material from 2 weeks or more. This material must be explained and integrated into a coherent response. Merely summarizing is not sufficient.
• The same theme may appear in both of your responses, but it must be discussed differently since the questions are not the same.
• When questions mention the word “theory,” it refers to the following:
- Classical Realism
- Neorealism
- Idealism
- Neoliberal Institutionalism
- Social Constructivism
- Neo-Gramscian Theory
- Feminism
- Postcolonialism
Statements:
- After identifying the differences between the traditional notion of security and the notion of human security, summarize a theme from the course that well illustrates what human security is by explaining why this is the case.
- Explain what international institutions are and the limits of their effectiveness. Subsequently, demonstrate how these general observations apply to one of the following themes: (1) human rights and culture; (2) military humanitarian interventions; (3) international trade; (4) environment.
- What is the relationship between the rules of free trade and the structural adjustment policies imposed by the International Monetary Fund on Southern countries in the 1980s? (Explain free trade and structural adjustment before linking them.)
- Choose one of the eight theories covered in the course and demonstrate how it can explain what is happening in one of the domains (themes) of international politics discussed from week 6 onwards. (Present relevant elements of the theory before applying them to the chosen theme.)