PSCI 3440
RUSSIAN AND CENTRAL
ASIAN POLITICS
DIPLOMATIC FORUM SIMULATION
AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
Overview
While the breakup of the Soviet Union was mostly peaceful, some violence erupted on the periphery of the former Soviet space. Many of those conflicts are still unsettled today, earning them the title of "frozen conflicts." Our diplomatic forum will give you a chance to role play and discuss (even argue) over who is to blame and how to resolve them.
As a way of exploring the dynamics in the region, the class will participate in a diplomatic forum the final three classes of the semester. Students will be divided into teams, each representing one of the twelve actors.
Specialist on Transdniestria:
Specialist on the positions of Russia/EU/US:
Specialist on Moldova:
Specialist on the positions of Russia/EU/US:
Specialist on Abkhazia and South Ossetia:
Specialist on the positions of Russia/EU/US:
Specialist on Georgia:
Specialist on the positions of Russia/EU/US:
Specialist on Georgia:
Specialist on the positions of Russia/EU/US:
Specialist on Armenia:
Specialist on the positions of Russia/EU/US:
Specialist on Azerbaijan:
Specialist on the positions of Russia/EU/US:
Specialist on Eastern Ukraine:
Specialist on the positions of Russia/EU/US:
Specialist on Ukraine: Hallgren
Specialist on the positions of Russia/EU/US:
Specialist on Moldova/Transdniestria:
Specialist on Georgia/Abkhazia/South Ossetia:
Specialist on Armenia and Azerbaijan:
Specialist on Ukraine:
Specialist on Eastern Ukraine:
Specialist on the US/EU positions:
Specialist on Moldova/Transdniestria:
Specialist on Georgia/Abkhazia/South Ossetia:
Specialist on Armenia and Azerbaijan:
Specialist on Ukraine/Eastern Ukraine:
Specialist on the Russian positions:
Specialist on Moldova/Transdniestria:
Specialist on Georgia/Abkhazia/South Ossetia:
Specialist on Armenia and Azerbaijan:
Specialist on Ukraine/Eastern Ukraine:
Specialist on the Russian positions:
Escape | Entity | Emphasis |
Abkhazia | Georgia | |
Armenia | Russia, US and EU | |
Eastern Ukraine | Russia, US and EU | |
European Union | Georgia/South Ossetia/Abkhazia | |
European Union | Moldova and Transdniestria | |
Moldova | Russia, US and EU | |
Russia | EU and US | |
Russia | Moldova | |
South Ossetia | Russia, US and EU | |
Ukraine | Eastern Ukraine | |
United States | Georgia/South Ossetia/Abkhazia | |
United States | Moldova and Transdniestria | |
Abkhazia | Russia, US and EU | |
Azerbaijan | Armenia | |
Eastern Ukraine | Ukraine | |
European Union | Russia | |
Georgia | South Ossetia and Abkhazia | |
Moldova | Transdniestria | |
Russia | Armenia and Azerbaijan | |
Russia | Ukraine | |
United States | Ukraine and Eastern Ukraine | |
Ukraine | Russia, US and EU | |
United States | Russia | |
Armenia | Azerbaijan | |
Azerbaijan | Russia, US and EU | |
European Union | Armenia and Azerbaijan | |
European Union | Ukraine and Eastern Ukraine | |
Georgia | Russia, US and EU | |
Russia | Eastern Ukraine | |
Russia | Georgia | |
South Ossetia | Georgia | |
Transdniestria | Russia, US and EU | |
United States | Armenia and Azerbaijan | |
Transdniestria | Moldova |
You will research your role by addressing several key questions that will prepare you for the forum. Your preparatory work will be formalized into two writing assignments.
Questions that will be addressed at the forum (and which should guide your research):
Source Material
Google searching is not enough. Google's algorithm cannot be relied on to link to sources that are either reputable or useful. Go here for guidelines on research and sources.
Assignment #1: Peer-Reviewed Articles. Due Saturday midnight [11:59 pm + one minute] on Thursday, February 27.
Based on what you learned in the class presentation by our research librarian, you have a simple -- yet important -- task: find three peer-reviewed articles using the library databases she demonstrated. Pick any one of the following four topics:
The three articles must:
The citations should be in proper format. You can use Chicago, MLA or APA. But note: BE CONSISTENT, and DO NOT make up your own style. You are required to use Knightcite; simply enter the information from the article and it will do the formatting for you.
Format
Grading
Note: this research is practice in locating and properly citing sources. What you find will not contribute to your preparation for the forum.
See below for instructions for all writing assignments.
Assignment #2: Annotated Bibliography. Due 11:59 pm on Saturday, March 28.
Your first assignment is to locate source material on your assigned role. There are two categories of source material: scholarly/professional and partisan/biased. Your specific assignment is to write an annotated bibliography of the sources you locate for your role.
Part I: Scholarly and "Gray" Literature
By "scholarly literature," I am referring to peer-reviewed journal articles about your assignment. You will find these by using the library databases that Maria Perez-Stable showed you in class on Monday, February 25. The second is the so-called "gray literature" that is not peer-reviewed but comes from reputable foundations, think tanks, international organizations, and other NGOs. These are not necessarily neutral sources and may very well take a side on the conflict you are studying, but they are known for their adherence to the norms of research (i.e., backing up conclusions with evidence).
Find at least six scholarly (and gray literature) sources. NOTE: of these six, at least three must be peer-reviewed sources accessible through the library databases.
Part II: Partisan and "Biased" Sources
Although "partisan" and "biased" are not words that describe most of the assigned research you do in your classes, they are just what you need for your role-playing. You are "partisan" in that you represent one side in a conflict and are not free of bias. Thus, sources that represent a partisan viewpoint of the protagonist you represent will be valuable in shedding your American (or other) skin and adopting that of your persona. Such sources can be from government sites, local newspapers, and local news agencies. For example, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transdniestria (Transdnistria), and Donetsk (eastern Ukraine) all have their own information agencies in English. So do the governments of the region, the EU and the US. In addition, look for speeches by leading political figures on the conflicts: what are they saying to their followers and to the world?
Find at least six partisan sources.
Annotations
Each annotation should be 100-150 words. Address the following (if they are appropriate) along with anything else you deem important. DON'T COPY AND PASTE TEXT (that's called plagiarism!).
Format
Heading in upper right corner: name and date only. No title page.
Section I: Scholarly Sources
First source:
Full citation in proper style (using Knightcite; see below).
Annotation paragraph.
Second source:
Full citation in proper style.
Annotation paragraph.
And so on...
Section II: Partisan Sources
First source:
Full citation in proper style.
Annotation paragraph.
Second source:
Full citation in proper style.
Annotation paragraph.
Lather, rinse, repeat...
The citations should be in proper format. You can use Chicago, MLA or APA. But note: BE CONSISTENT, and DO NOT make up your own style. You are required to use Knightcite; simply enter the information from the article and it will do the formatting for you.
See below for instructions for all writing assignments.
Assignment #3: Position Papers. Due 11:59 pm on Saturday, April 18.
You will write position papers on four questions in preparation for the diplomatic forum. Assignments are individual despite earlier reference to teams and vary depending on the delegation. NOTE: it is likely that your research for paper #2 will not be sufficient to fully address these questions.
Group A: Moldova, Transdniestria, Georgia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Ukraine, Eastern Ukraine.
Group B: Russia, US, EU
Group A: Each of you is focused on one of the frozen conflicts. Address the following questions from your role's perspective:
Questions:
Group B: You represent one of the three external powers with influence and interest in the conflicts under discussion. If your focus is on one of the specific conflicts, address the following questions from your role's perspective:
If your focus is on each other, address the following question:
Submit your paper to the Assignment #3 dropbox. Total length should not be less than 400 words. A bibliography is not necessary.
Pay attention to "instructions for all writing assignments" below.
Assignments II and III
93-100 = A
88-92 = BA
83-87 = B
78-82 = CB
73-77 = C
68-72 = DC
60-67 = D
below 60= E
Forum Scale
140-150 = A
132-139 = BA
125-131 = B
117-124 = CB
110-116 = C
102-109 = DC
90-101 = D
below 90 = E
Assignment I
47-50 = A
44-46 = BA
42-43 = B
39-41 = CB
37-38 = C
34-36 = DC
30-33 = D
below 30 = E
Instructions For All Writing Assignments
Submitting assignments
You are required to submit your assignments in the elearning dropbox. I won't accept hard copies. Your papers must be Microsoft Word compatible or in PDF format.
Explicit instructions
Grading Scale