Paper 4: U.S Presence in Eastern Europe: A higher risk of a Nuclear threat from Russia?
In the past decade, the US has dealt with multiple nuclear weapons issues, including:
• Six (6) North Korean tests of nuclear weapons and dozens of missile tests
• Iran stockpiling enriched uranium and violating JCPOA terms
• Russian President Putin threatening to use nuclear weapons if NATO interferes in Ukraine (selected topic)
Select one (1) of these issues from this list and write a policy recommendation regarding US policy on the issue you selected. The policy recommendation should briefly explain the issue, identify current US policy, recommend what the US policy should be moving forward, and provide evidence supporting the policy recommendation. Note: you may recommend a policy change or recommend maintaining the current policy.
You are required to draw on (and properly cite) at least ALL academic sources attached (MANDATORY).
Thesis Statement: All papers should begin with an introductory paragraph that includes a thesis statement articulating the main argument of the paper. The essay body should reflect a structured framework of supporting points and evidence, drawing on the frameworks explored during class. A strong paper will also consider relevant counterarguments and address them appropriately.
The recommended policy could be a multilateral alliance system in Eastern Europe with NATO (similar to the U.S alliance system in East Asia – see Izumikawa 2020 paper for reference)
Formatting guidelines:
Paper should be 8-10 double-spaced pages in length. These page limits do not include your bibliography, or, should you have one, a title page.
Papers should have standard 1-inch margins and 12-point font. Please ensure that your name, and the name of your TF, is on the front page.
Grading guidelines: Papers will be graded based on the following criteria:
● Argument. Does the paper have a clear, compelling, and creative argument? Is the thesis developed through the use of ample evidence to justify the claims being made? Does the paper present multiple points of view in an even-handed manner? Does it avoid logical inconsistencies? Has the student engaged with a counterargument and responded to it effectively?
● Organization. Is the paper well-structured, with a clear introduction that outlines the argument, smooth transitions between paragraphs, and a conclusion that ties the piece together?
● Writing skills. Is the writing clear and sophisticated, free of spelling and grammatical errors? Does it feature precise and careful word choice, suitable for a piece of formal academic writing?
● Use of secondary sources. Does the paper use the mandatory academic sources? Are all sources properly cited?
FOLLOW THE BELOW INSTRUCTION FOR THE STRUCTURE OF THE PAPER (MANDATORY)
Writing a Policy Paper
Paper 4 explicitly asks you to write a policy paper. Specifically, regardless of which prompt you select, the prompt states: “the policy recommendation should briefly explain the issue, identify current US policy, recommend what the US policy should be moving forward, and provide evidence supporting the policy recommendation.”
Layout for the policy paper:
Executive summary
Think of this as equivalent to an abstract for an academic paper
Should be one paragraph (4-6 sentences)
Should contain all of your major arguments and clearly state your recommendation
Similar to how your abstract/intro contains all of your main arguments and your thesis
Your reader should know all the main points of your paper just from reading the executive summary – think of it like a preview for a busy reader
Briefly explain the issue
In policy terms, this is what we call a “problem statement”
This section should do 2 things: provide basic background on the issue and define the problem
Here, you provide the necessary background for the reader to understand the problem – who, what, when, where, why, etc.
You need to scope the problem and actually define what the problem is
Even when writing on the same topic, students may identify different core problems
For example (not using any of the 3 real prompts), say the prompt asked you to consider the issue of immigration at the Southern US border and write a policy recommendation regarding US policy on the issue
One student might identify the core issue as unfair and unjust treatment of migrants at the border, creating human rights and civil liberties concerns
Another student might identify the core issue as lax border-security that drives crime
A third student might identify the core issue as inadequate immigration laws that create inequality in opportunity
You need to explain to the reader exactly what the problem is and why (we have intentionally left the prompts vague to let you carve out your own unique arguments and issues here)
Identify current US policy
This is the policy option referred to as the “status quo”
Explain how the US currently addresses the problem that you identified in the previous section
Recommend what the US policy should be moving forward
This is your main recommendation – what should the US be doing?
This can be a policy change or maintaining the current policy
Or, some combination – maybe you like the current policy but have a few small tweaks
If you aren’t sure how to start thinking about possible policies (there are so many options!), I recommend looking at what politicians have said on the record about policy options
In some cases, political parties or individuals or companies or NGOs will have already suggested certain policies. It is ok to advocate for one of these ideas – you do not have to invent a brand-new policy! If you like someone else’s policy suggestion, use it (just be sure to properly cite credit). No need to reinvent the wheel!
In some cases, you may have a creative idea that you want to suggest. This is also fine, as long as you can support it with evidence
Another great place to look for policy options is the Congressional Research Service. They often write primers on issues that discuss policy options. For example, running with the earlier immigration example, here is an immigration primer they published
Provide evidence supporting the policy recommendation
Regardless of what type of policy you recommend, you need to support your recommendation with evidence!
What does this evidence look like? Some examples (not an exhaustive list):
Academic studies that show your policy is effective
Examples of other countries or contexts where your policy has been implemented and worked
Theory on why your policy would work (if it has never been done before)
This section probably also includes a discussion of why your policy is better than the alternative policy (you can think of this kind of like addressing a counterargument)
If arguing for a policy change, the best alternative policy to consider is the status quo – why is your policy better than the current policy?
Ex – If I am advocating for changing immigration policy to open borders, why is this better than the current policy of regulated borders?
If arguing for keeping the status quo policy, select a popular alternative policy for comparison – why is the current policy better than a proposed different policy?
Ex – If I am advocating for keeping the current immigration policy of restricted borders, why is this better than a proposed open-border policy (or a proposed completely closed-borders policy)?
Conclusion
Recap your main points (should mirror your executive summary)
Suggest any further considerations/future research that should be done