Assignment Booklet and Course Essay Options

DU301 A World of Whose Making? Politics, Economics, Technology and Culture in International Studies

Assignment Booklet and Course Essay Options 2008

Contents 1

Introduction

2

2

The assessment strategy

2

2.1

Learning through TMAs

2

2.2 2.3

PT3 feedback Substitution

2

3

2.4 2.5

Grading Monitoring

3

3

2.6

Appeals

4

2.7

Re-sits

4

3

General advice 3.1 Presentation of TMAs

4

4

3.2 3.3

Plagiarism The features of a good TMA answer

5

6

3.4

Writing to length

7

3.5 3.6

Completing your TMAs Submitting the final assignment

7

8

3.7

TMAs and online forums

8

TMA 01 (cut-off date: 4 March 2008)

9

TMA 02 (cut-off date: 15 April 2008)

11

TMA 03 (cut-off date: 3 June 2008)

12

TMA 04 (cut-off date: 8 July 2008)

14

TMA 05 (cut-off date: 5 August 2008)

15

TMA 06 (cut-off date: 2 September 2008)

16

4

The Course Essay (submission date: 10 October 2008) 4.1 Introduction to the Course Essay

18 18

4.2

Procedure for completing and submitting your Course Essay

18

4.3 4.4

Feedback on your Course Essay Frequently asked questions

20

21

4.5 4.6

Cut-off date Final checklist

22

23

4.7

Course Essay questions

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Copyright ª 2008 The Open University Printed in the United Kingdom

SUP 98016 8

5.1

*SUP980168*

1

Introduction

The assessment for DU301 consists of six Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) and a Course Essay. You should aim to complete all six TMAs, although the substitution rule means that you can omit one assignment. You must submit TMA 03, the double-weighted assignment. (The substitution system is explained in Section 2.3.) It is possible in exceptional circumstances to ask your tutor for a later submission date for an assignment, but this can lead to problems with scheduling your work. We strongly advise you to submit your TMAs by the cut-off dates given in this Assignment Booklet and the Study Calendar.

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The assessment strategy

The TMAs have been designed to consolidate your understanding of the course material and to develop and test your skills as a student of the social sciences. Note that you will be asked to complete different kinds of TMA – essays, shorter written work and worked examples – which may be different from your experience on previous courses. The ‘Guidance Notes’ that accompany each TMA describe the specific skills involved, and you should read this advice carefully before beginning to work on the assignment. Further advice is available in Peter Redman (2006) Good Essay Writing: A Social Sciences Guide, London, Sage (third edition).

2.1 Learning through TMAs TMAs are not simply a method of assessment but are key points at which to assess how effectively you have been learning. Preparing to write a TMA answer is a stage in the learning process, because you have to relate your preliminary thoughts about the course to a specific question or exercise. In the process of putting your ideas in writing, or working through a problem, you become much more aware of your own strengths and uncertainties. In the course texts we have provided study activities which allow you to get to grips with particular models, arguments and concepts. In the TMAs we are asking you to put these skills and understanding into practice and indicate what in particular we are looking to assess. The next stage in this learning process comes when you receive feedback from your tutor, which to some extent should confirm your own self-awareness but may also add other perspectives to your own evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses. In reflecting carefully on this feedback you enter another stage in the learning process by attempting to integrate your tutor’s comments into your approach to the rest of the course. This stage may involve resolving issues to do with writing technique, clarity of exposition or improving your ability to focus on the question, aspects you can then build on and try to improve in future TMA answers. At other times it will relate to course content – uncertainties over your grasp of particular concepts or ideas, for example – and the tutor’s comments here can help you to consolidate previous learning and to identify connections with the DU301 work to come.

2.2 PT3 feedback Given the role of TMAs in your learning process, it is vital to build up good practice at the feedback stage. When your marked TMA is returned there is always the temptation to glance at the mark, compliment (or curse) your tutor

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for having recognized (or failed to recognize) your genius, and then file it away. Yet the most important part of the PT3 form is not the box in the right-hand corner but the guidance on the lines below and the detailed comments in the margin or on separate pages at the back of your assignment. For here is your tutor’s justification for your grade, as well as guidance on how to build on your success or avoid repeating your mistakes. The PT3, despite its appearance, is akin in some respects to a personal tutorial with your tutor. Admittedly, it may be more reactive than interactive, but it is still an essential part of your learning on this course. You should read the PT3s with care and refer to them in preparing subsequent TMAs. PT3s also provide a valuable incentive to discuss any matters arising with your tutor and to seek further advice and comment. Tutors welcome the opportunity to discuss the guidance they offer and you should take advantage of this if you have any uncertainties at all.

2.3 Substitution Note that you can apply the substitution rule to up to one TMA from TMAs 01, 02, 04, 05 and 06 but not to TMA 03, the double-weighted assignment. Substitution means that a score derived from your averaged assessment scores is substituted for the zero score received for a missing TMA. It is done automatically, so there is no need to request it, but it is a good idea to tell your tutor in advance if you are unable to submit a TMA. The calculations involved are quite complicated, but the principle is simple (see the Assessment Handbook for details). If you are unable to complete the assignments some compensation is provided for one TMA. Remember that deciding to substitute a TMA will inevitably lower your final score for the course; so it is always in your interests to produce something, however limited.

2.4 Grading Your tutor will grade each of your assignments out of 100 marks, although in some cases the total may be the sum of marks for two or more parts. He or she will grade your work using a marking scheme provided by the DU301 course team. Band

University Scale score

Performance standard

A

85–100

Pass 1

B

70–84

Pass 2

C

55–69

Pass 3

D

40–54

Pass 4

E

30–39

Bare fail

F

15–29

Fail

G

0–14

Bad fail

2.5 Monitoring In addition to the notes in this Assignment Booklet, the tutors receive marking schemes that determine how the marking scale should be used. Randomly selected scripts are monitored as a check on standards, and a statistical analysis of the grades awarded by tutors is used as an additional reference point.

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2.6 Appeals If, despite these checks and reassurances, you feel you have reason to be unhappy with the grade you have been given for an assignment, you are free to follow the University’s appeals procedure. Indeed, we encourage you to do so rather than to continue to feel you have been treated unjustly. The appeals procedure is simple. First, you make an informal appeal to your tutor for a re-grading. If you are not satisfied with the outcome you can make a formal appeal via the Complaints and Appeals Office, which will deal with it in consultation with the appropriate authority. If you decide to appeal it is important to put your thoughts in writing, so that your tutor and anyone else who becomes involved will be clear about the grounds for your appeal. (Full details of the procedures can be found in the Assessment Handbook. Please note that the time limits for appeals given in the Assessment Handbook must be met.)

2.7 Re-sits If you complete the course work for DU301 successfully but fail the end­ of-course assessment (the Course Essay) with a mark above 15 per cent, you will be allowed to re-submit the Course Essay the following year, without having to do any more course work. You will be expected to submit a new Course Essay based on new questions, which will be sent to you in the spring of the following year. The submission deadline will be in early October.

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General advice

3.1 Presentation of TMAs One of the objectives of DU301 is to assist the development of individual basic research skills. Proper referencing is important so that the reader can see which sources you have drawn on in your TMA and so that you can refer explicitly to the work of others in your answer. Two steps are required for proper referencing.

In-text citations First, if you refer directly to another person’s argument or analysis in the text of your TMA answer, or if you quote directly from another source, you must give an in-text citation indicating where it comes from. This is normally given in brackets at the end of the sentence or quotation and includes the author’s surname, date of publication and, if it is a specific point or a quotation, the page number(s) – for example: (Bromley, 2004, pp. 117–8). The reader can then find the full details in the list of references at the end of your essay (see below). If you wish to refer to a third person – say, a quotation from Waltz himself which Simon Bromley cites – you should put (Waltz, cited in Bromley, 2004, p. 109). You can also cite sources from the Internet in this way, using author and date. Other course materials can also be cited in this way: for example, (DU301 Audio Programme 1, 2004). There are certain conventions that apply to the use of direct quotations in academic essays. Here is a general guide. n

Make sure the quotation is enclosed in quotation marks (either single ‘...’ or double “...”).

n

If you leave out any words in the quotation, mark this ellipsis with three dots (...).

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n

You may have to modify the original structure of words or insert words of your own: for example, to preserve the grammatical structure of the sentence into which the quotation is integrated. Interpolations are also used to clarify something the quoted material leaves vague: for example, by substituting a name for ‘he’ or ‘she’. Any such modifications of the author’s words must be signalled by enclosing the interpolations in square brackets [...]. For example, Bromley asserts that ‘[Hirst] considers that the achievement of sovereign authority ... is at least partly the product of agreements between states in the form of recognition of each others’ sovereign rights’ (Bromley, 2004, p. 120).

List of references The second step is to include a list of all the sources (books, course materials, journal articles or websites) you have used in the preparation of the essay or referred to in the essay itself. The style for constructing a list of references is as follows. For each item, give the author, date of publication, title, place of publication and name of publisher. For example: Bromley, S. (2004) ‘International politics: states, anarchy and governance’ in Bromley, S. et al. (eds) Making the International: Economic Interdependence and Political Order, London, Pluto Press in association with The Open University, pp. 95–129. For course materials such as audio programmes give the course code, the number of the programme, the year and the title: DU301 Audio Programme 1 (2004) Trade and States. If you refer to a journal article, give the author, date of publication, title of article, journal name, volume, number and page(s). For newspaper articles, give the author, date of publication, title of article, newspaper name and page. For example: Panagariya, A. (2002) ‘Developing countries at Doha: a political economy analysis’, The World Economy, vol.25, no.6, pp. 875–94. If you refer to material drawn from a website you must give the author (or the organization responsible if there is no named author), year, title, full web address (URL) and the date you downloaded or accessed the material. For example: UNFCCC Climate Change Secretariat (2002) A Guide to the Climate Change Convention Process [online]. Available from http://unfccc.int/ resource/process/guideprocess-p.pdf (accessed 1 July 2003). Finally, all the items in the list of references are set in alphabetical order by author. For further information about how to reference and the purpose of referencing, see Redman P. (2006) Good Essay Writing: A Social Sciences Guide (3rd edn), London, Sage, and the ‘How to reference’ booklet which is available from the Course Website, Course Resources section.

3.2 Plagiarism A key skill is to make full use of the course materials without becoming so dependent on them that you find yourself using the same wording. It is important, therefore, that your work is in your own words, as part of the development of your academic skills.

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It is important that you clearly show the sources of material that you draw on in completing your TMAs. Plagiarism – submitting an assignment that contains work that is not your own, without acknowledging your sources – is a serious offence. Plagiarism may result in serious penalties for your studies. The University policy on Plagiarism and further details of the disciplinary procedures of the Central Disciplinary Committee are included in the Assessment Handbook: Undergraduate Courses and the Code of Practice for Student Assessment and Code of Practice for Student Discipline. These documents are all available via StudentHome or via http://www.open.ac.uk/ our-student-policies. You are required to sign a statement to confirm that all assessed work you submit is your own. If you are in doubt, consult your tutor before submitting the work. Please be aware that plagiarism detection software may be used when your assignments are processed by the University. For advice on how to avoid plagiarism, consult the booklet Writing in your Own Words by Peter Redman (available on the course website) and Section 10.5 of Redman, P. Good Essay Writing (3rd ed). For advice on referencing properly, see Section 9 of Redman, P. (2006) Good Essay Writing (3rd ed) London, Sage and Section 3.1 of this Assignment Booklet for Course Team advice.

3.3 The features of a good TMA answer The TMAs for DU301 vary considerably in type – they are not all, or even mostly, in an essay format. However, there are some common features to a good TMA answer, whatever the format. n

Make sure that you write clearly at all times. Being able to explain a theory, argument or concept is an important communication skill in itself, but it also allows you to demonstrate to your tutor that you have a good understanding of the subject matter – and this is one of the key things that is being assessed.

n

When developing an argument, always back up your points with evidence, even if you are just mentioning an example. Don’t rely on assertions.

n

If you are writing an essay-type TMA, be sure to write a clear introduction indicating what the question is about and how you are going to go about answering it; make sure your answer flows, with each paragraph developing the next point in your argument; and conclude by drawing your points together to produce a direct answer to the question.

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If you are using or interpreting data you may make use of graphs or diagrams but these must be clear, and it must be clear where and how they relate to the other parts of your answer.

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Avoid using language that could cause offence to others because of their gender, ethnicity, social background, sexual orientation or age.

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Stick closely to the word limits. Writing concisely is an important skill in all TMAs, so no matter how frustrating it is, be selective in your use of material. Section 3.4 (below) gives some more guidance on writing to length.

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3.4 Writing to length There is a word limit for each TMA. These limits are important, and are designed to get you to think carefully about how to organize and illustrate your answer. A word limit means making every sentence count, by trying to sustain a sharp focus on the question and limiting any tangential discussion. It means concentrating on the ideas and issues that the TMA question prompts in your mind, rather than simply relying on the way things are written down in the course materials. The course materials will often have been written with slightly different questions in mind, and so what you identify as ‘broadly relevant material’ may include points that have less bearing on the assignment. So a primary rule for keeping to the word limit is to work from the TMA question to the course materials, not from the materials to the question! Writing to length also means careful selection of illustrative material. You will want to include a reasonable range of examples to support your arguments, as well as counter-examples to reflect underlying debate and complexity. But you will add little overall value to your assignment by including lots of examples to make the same general point. Nor can you afford to spend time elaborating on examples for their own sakes. As a general rule, then, we suggest you illustrate each of your ideas with a few well-chosen examples, making clear their relevance to the points you are advancing. You should be aware from this that working within a word limit requires you to mobilize a range of academic and writing skills. The limit may feel rather restrictive at times, but it is there to get you to prioritize and focus your answer. If you go over length on an assignment, your tutor will point this out to you and provide guidance on how to work to length on future assignments. It is now the policy across all Social Science courses that if students exceed the TMA word limit by more than 10 per cent on a second occasion the TMA will be marked down by 10 per cent of the score it would have received. So please take care to observe the policy. You are asked to ensure that you give a word count (excluding references and permitted appendices/ attachments) at the end of each assignment whether it is hand-written or word-processed. Further advice on writing to length is contained in Section 10 of Redman P. (2006) Good Essay Writing: A Social Sciences Guide (3rd ed.) London, Sage. Details of how to obtain a copy of this book can be found on the course website.

3.5 Completing your TMAs Where TMAs require you to produce graphs, it is perfectly acceptable to use either graph paper or a software package such as Excel to do this. For this course, assignments may be submitted via the eTMA system or on paper. You are strongly encouraged to submit your assignments using the eTMA system, where possible. Details of how to do so are included in the document Using the Electronic TMA System: A Guide to eTMAs for Students. Whichever option you choose, your assignment must be submitted either entirely electronically or entirely by hard copy. Mixed submissions are not allowed. Do: Contact your tutor well before the cut-off date if you anticipate any difficulties in submitting any of your TMAs. Practise sending the ‘dummy’ eTMA if you are not familiar with the system.

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Keep a backup copy of your TMA. Contact the OU Computing Helpdesk if you have problems with your submission. Don’t: Send a TMA directly to your tutor’s personal email address. Take note of the following points in preparing your assignment: Put your name, personal identifier and the assignment number at the top of

every sheet.

If you are using a word processor, use a clear, 12-point font.

Number the pages.

State the number of words etc.

In addition, if you are submitting on paper: Use A4 paper and write on only one side. Leave wide margins at the side and bottom of the page so that your tutor has room to comment. Fill in the appropriate sections of a PT3 form and send it with your TMA to your tutor for marking.

3.6 Submitting the final assignment No extension shall be granted to the cut-off date of a final assignment except under exceptional circumstances, though discretion for permitting it is much more limited than for other TMAs. If you think your circumstances are exceptional, ask your tutor as early as possible whether an extension can be granted. Where an extension is granted, it cannot exceed 1st October. Any student, whose circumstances are such that, for substantiated reasons, they are not able to submit the final assignment by this date, should make use of the Special Circumstances procedure as outlined in their Assessment Handbook on StudentHome.

3.7 TMAs and online forums As a student you will have access to a number of online forums. Please note that the posting of a TMA and/or tutor comments on an OU forum contravenes University regulations and is not permitted. Forum moderators will remove any such postings.

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TMA 01 (cut-off date: 4 March 2008) This TMA is in TWO parts each worth 50 per cent of the overall marks. Do BOTH parts. Note: If drawing diagrams by hand, you will need graph paper for this assignment. It is also acceptable to use a software package such as Excel to produce the diagrams.

Part 1 This part of the assignment makes use of the economic model of comparative advantage in which there are just two countries, each capable of producing just two goods. Labour is assumed to be the only factor input. Each of the two questions is independent of the other one. 1

This question assumes that there are just two countries: Country A and Country B. Country A has 2000 workers, each of whom can produce 5 units of X or 2 units of Y per week. Country B has 400 workers, each of whom can produce 50 units of X or 5 units of Y per week.

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(a)

What is the opportunity cost of a unit of X in terms of Y in each country? (6 marks)

(b)

Given the answer to (a), explain which country should specialize in producing Y. (6 marks)

(c)

If each country moves from devoting half its labour force to the production of each good to full specialization in accordance with comparative advantage, how many additional units of X and how many additional units of Y will be produced each week? (8 marks)

This question assumes that there are just two countries: Country C and Country D. Country C can produce 25 000 units of X per week if it produces no Y. The opportunity cost of a unit of Y in terms of X is 0.5. Country D can produce 40 000 units of Y per week if it produces no X. The opportunity cost of a unit of X in terms of Y is 0.8. (a)

Draw the production possibility frontier for each country, using a separate diagram for each. (8 marks)

(b)

Explain which two of the following terms of trade would be acceptable to both countries: 1X = 2.5Y; 1X = 1Y; 1X = 0.75Y; 1X = 1.5Y. (10 marks)

(c)

Add to your diagram for Country D the trading possibility line it would prefer from the two acceptable options and explain why it would prefer this one. (6 marks)

(d)

What further information would you need in order to determine which country is absolutely more efficient than the other in the production of each good? (6 marks)

Use no more than 800 words.

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Part 2 Discuss the impact of political factors on the pursuit of gains from trade. (50 marks) Use no more than 1200 words.

Guidance Notes Part 1

The first part of TMA 01 is designed to help you consolidate your understanding of the theory of comparative advantage and the role of the terms of trade. Relevant material is in Chapter 3 of Making the International. In responding to the questions, you should ensure that you provide detailed explanations and clearly show any numerical calculations you make to help you reach your conclusions. You will not gain many marks by simply writing down a ratio, a number or the name of a country by way of answer. You should also pay careful attention to accuracy in drafting your diagrams. The key to a good answer will be clear, concise explanations showing precise understanding of the economic concepts and accurately-drawn diagrams, appropriately labelled and well integrated with your accompanying text. Part 2

The second part of the assignment allows you to explore alternative models of international politics such as, for example, Waltz’s realist model, and their implications for co-operation between states, especially in the context of trade liberalization. Relevant material is in Chapter 5 and throughout Part 1 of Making the International. The key to a good answer will be a clear and critical discussion of political constraints on co-operation based on a thorough understanding of theoretical models of international politics.

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TMA 02 (cut-off date: 15 April 2008) Write an essay of no more than 2000 words. In what ways does a consideration of interdependence challenge the realist analysis of the prospects for international co-operation in pursuit of absolute gains? You may employ diagrammatic representations of bargaining games in your answer.

Guidance Notes This question is about the debate between realists and liberal theorists of international politics over the scope for co-operation among states. It is designed to test your knowledge and understanding of different interactions between states and the analysis of power and bargaining. The key sources for a good answer are to be found in Chapter 5 (realist model), Chapter 6 (liberal model of the national interest) and Chapter 9 of Making the International – the latter discusses the difference between absolute and relative gains and the liberal model of interdependence and co-operative bargaining. There is also a highly relevant discussion in Audio Programme 2a (see also the accompanying audio notes in the Study Guide 1). The key to good answers will be a clear explanation of realist arguments about international co-operation and a discussion of the ways in which liberal models of interdependence question the conclusions of those arguments. In discussing these different approaches, good answers will use the key concepts involved in each model in precise, accurate ways and will be clear in their analysis of what the main points of difference (and common ground) are in the debate. If answers use diagrammatic representations of bargaining games, these should serve to develop or elucidate the overall argument and should be clearly and accurately presented.

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TMA 03 (cut-off date: 3 June 2008) This is a double weighted TMA. Choose ONE option.

Option 1 Write an essay of no more than 2500 words. In what ways have economic and political constraints limited the ability of African states such as Tanzania to pursue autonomous development strategies? You must make use of national income accounting concepts in your answer.

Option 2 Write an essay of no more than 2500 words. Using the concepts of public goods and game theory, identify the obstacles to, and the possible routes to, cooperation over international collective action problems. You must incorporate into your answer game theory matrix representations of at least two kinds of game. You must illustrate your answer with appropriate empirical examples.

Guidance Notes This is a double-weighted TMA that provides you with an opportunity to explore the material in either Part 4 (Option 1) or Part 5 (Option 2) of Making the International in some depth. Whilst you are required to write only one essay, your tutor will be looking for a detailed discussion showing both analytical precision and critical detachment. Option 1

This question is asking you to examine internal and external influences on a state’s autonomy, particularly with regard to economic policy for development. You will need to show an understanding of the concept of autonomy and its different meanings and its importance as well as of basic macroeconomic analysis. In your answer, you should assess the impact of aid dependence as well as of the changing relationship between states such as Tanzania and aid donors (the politics of aid). Relevant economic and political material is in Chapters 10, 11 and 12 of Making the International; the basic national income accounting framework is in Chapter 11. The key to a good answer will be a well-constructed discussion showing a clear understanding, drawing on both economic and political analysis and recognizing the contested nature of economic development. Option 2

This option of TMA 03 is designed to test your understanding of international collective action problems, public goods and your understanding of different formal game theoretic models. It also assesses your ability to explain the dynamics of collective action problems and the obstacles and routes to cooperation. Implicitly you are also asked to show that you can evaluate what games do and do not reveal about international collective action problems. Chapter 13 introduces the concept of public goods, discusses the nature of international collective action problems and shows how game theory can help to model and analyze such problems. Several types of game are discussed as is

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a variety of ways of solving collective action problems. The question asks you to use these tools in order to specify why some collective action problems are hard to solve, and to identify possible ways past these obstacles. The question does not restrict you to discussing any particular collective action problem though you are expected to illustrate your answer with one or more empirical examples. The one which is discussed most extensively in Making the International (in Chapter 14) is global warming, though Chapter 13 discusses a range of other examples. To answer the question effectively you will need to pay attention to the different ways that game theory might model international collective action problems. The routes to cooperation might come from within game theory, or you might think of routes to cooperation by questioning the assumptions of game theory. Chapters 13 and 14 discuss both these aspects. The key to good answers will be a clear and accurate exposition of the game theoretic analysis, a coherent and focused exposition and analysis of some of the different ways in which problems can be represented using game theory, and the conclusions that might be drawn about solutions to international collective action problems. You must include two game theory matrices in your answer and for this you can either use matrices drawn directly from the book (with proper referencing) or use your own (but make sure you ensure these are accurate for the game you are wishing to represent). Make sure that your discussion of these matrices is integrated into your answer.

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TMA 04 (cut-off date: 8 July 2008) Write an essay of no more than 2000 words. Discuss the nature of US imperialism in the post-9/11 international order. In addition to drawing on course materials, you must incorporate arguments from the following article: Robert W. Cox, ‘Beyond empire and terror: critical reflections on the political economy of world order’, New Political Economy 9(3) 2004: 307–323.

Guidance Notes This question relates to Part 1 of Ordering the International and in particular, the debates covered in Chapter 5. You are expected to be able to discuss the complex nature and role of the US power in the contemporary international system. The question asks you to assess the relevance of the concept of imperialism/empire for the international order post-9/11 and consider what this means for the boundaries of, and challenges to, the liberal international order. Different understandings of the concept of imperialism are detailed in Chapter 5. You will need to also draw on Chapters 3 and 4 to compare the thesis of a new US imperialism with that of a liberal international order. For the purposes of this TMA, you can use imperialism and empire interchangeably. At the centre of this question is a comparison of different theoretical approaches to understanding international order. Your task is to evaluate whether US imperialism is an accurate description of the international order post-9/11. You also need to be aware of the different understandings of the nature of American power, and ideas about empire and hegemony in international order. The question also gives you the chance to show that you have the skills necessary to access academic journal articles online. You are also asked to refer in your answer to an article by Robert Cox that you downloaded in Web Activity 3. Ensure that you use this article as you would any other item of course material and that you incorporate some discussion of the issues it raises into the structure of your essay. You can do this either by contrasting Cox’s approach to those you have learnt in the course or by finding similarities between his arguments and those you have already encountered. You can also point out elements that appear in Cox which are new additions to the theoretical and conceptual discussions of the course.

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TMA 05 (cut-off date: 5 August 2008) Write an essay of no more than 2000 words. Discuss the relations between cultural claims, power and universal human rights.

Guidance Notes This assignment relates to Part 2 of Ordering the International. It requires you to discuss the role of human rights in international politics by using arguments about how cultural claims inform the international order. You will need to consider whether culture is an expression of values or is an arena of contestation of values. This is an open-ended question and you will need to present and argue your own position based on discussions presented in Chapters 6 to 9 from Part 2. The central chapter that sets out the debates about the role of culture in the globalisation of human rights is Chapter 9. A good answer would show awareness of different understandings of culture. Chapters 6 and 9 present competing understandings of culture. Your answer can also include references to the cultural critiques of human rights as Western­ centric (Chapters 7 and 8), cosmopolitan versus communitarian (Chapter 8), Asian values (Chapter 9) or feminist debates (Chapters 7, 9 and DVD programme). As this is a complex answer, it is important to set out a coherent analytical discussion. This will test your ability to grasp the debates around the role of human rights globally.

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TMA 06 (cut-off date: 2 September 2008) This TMA is in TWO parts. Do BOTH parts. Part 1 is worth 25 per cent of the overall marks and Part 2 is worth 75 per cent. Note: If drawing diagrams by hand, you will need graph paper for this assignment. It is also acceptable to use a software package (such as Excel) to produce the graphs.

Part 1 Table 1 Theil indices (global and within country) 1820–1992 1820

1850

1870

1890

1910

1929

1950

1960

1970

1980

1992

Theil (global)

0.522 0.598 0.672 0.745 0.797 0.777 0.805 0.776 0.808 0.829 0.855

Theil (within country)

0.462 0.470 0.484 0.495 0.498 0.412 0.323 0.318 0.315 0.330 0.342

Source: adapted from Bourguignon, F. and Morrisson, C. ‘Inequality Among World Citizens: 1820–1992’, The American Economic Review, vol.92, no.4, September 2002, pp. 727–744, Table 2.

Using the data in Table 1, calculate the between country Theil indices for the years 1820–1992 and then plot the curves for global, within country and between country inequality among world citizens for the period 1820 to 1992. In no more than 300 words explain what these curves indicate about the evolution of global inequality between 1820 and 1992.

Part 2 In no more than 1500 words: Evaluate the role of non-state actors and transnational networks as agents of change in the international order.

Guidance Notes Part 1 is designed to test your ability to manipulate, present and interpret some descriptive statistics relating to debates about the level and trends in global inequality. Part 2 is designed to test your knowledge and understanding of non-state actors and transnational networks in shaping international society. Part 1

Theil indices are discussed in Chapter 11 of Ordering the International. You will need to calculate the relevant data series from Table 1 and graph the three curves carefully. Take care to choose appropriate scales for your axes and to label your diagram(s) carefully. Your discussion of what the curves indicate about the evolution of global inequality between 1820 and 1992 should be succinct and precise and should be based on your interpretation of what the data and curves show. Part 2

This question asks for an evaluation of non-state actors and networks as agents of change in the international order. Relevant material for this question will be found in Chapters 12 and 13 of Ordering the International. The key to good answers will be a clear, focused discussion of the role of non-state actors and networks and the selection and use of an appropriate

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analytical framework for thinking about them as agents of change in the international order. Good answers will not only discuss the role of non-state actors and networks but also directly address general debates about whether they are changing the character of international order.

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The Course Essay (submission date: 10 October 2008)

4.1 Introduction to the Course Essay This section contains practical information on submitting your Course Essay and sets out this year’s options. It contains the details of the procedures and requirements for submission, which you must read and follow. It is of paramount importance that you read carefully what follows. This section also contains the guidance notes, with specific advice on each of the essay question options. We urge you to read those notes carefully as they give important pointers about how to answer each question. However, you should also note that the assessment strategy behind the Course Essay, and advice on important steps you need to take as part of completing it, are given in Study Guide 2. It takes you through a number of significant steps involved in researching and completing your Course Essay and sets out the general assessment criteria that script markers will use to assess your work. You are strongly advised to read this material and complete the associated study activities. In addition, you will receive the booklet Information for Students Submitting Examinable Work, which details the procedure for submitting the Course Essay and the associated forms you will need. You should look at this information when you receive it. A copy of this booklet is also available from www.open. ac.uk/assessment.

4.2 Procedure for completing and submitting your Course Essay This section sets out the key requirements and stages in submitting the Course Essay, which are rather different from those for normal TMA submissions.

Examinable component The Course Essay is a 4000 word essay and is 100 per cent of the ‘examinable component’ of DU301. The Course Essay will be graded in accordance with the University Scale (see the table below). The usual pass mark is 40 per cent. If, having scored 40 per cent or more on the continuous assessment component, you fail the Course Essay but gain a mark of 15 per cent or more, you will be entitled to resubmit the Course Essay. You will be expected to submit a new Course Essay based on new questions which will be sent to you in the spring of the following year. The submission deadline will be early October. Band

University Scale score

Performance standard

A

85–100

Pass 1

B

70–84

Pass 2

C

55–69

Pass 3

D

40–54

Pass 4

E

30–39

Bare fail

F

15–29

Fail

G

0–14

Bad fail

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Verification Because the Course Essay is the ‘examinable component’, and there is no end­ of-course exam, it is subject to a University verification procedure. The first step in the process – what is called the mandatory contact – is that you are required to send your tutor, either by post or email, a plan of your essay. You must ensure that your tutor receives this by 26 September 2008. Note that your essay plan must be sent direct to your tutor, not to Walton Hall. The plan that you send your tutor should be no more than two sides of A4 and must include the following (see ‘Preparing for the Course Essay’ in Study Guide 2 for more details): n

A note of which question you have chosen to answer.

n

A preliminary sketch of the main headings and sub-headings you are going to use.

n

A preliminary list of the key course materials you are going to draw on, including chapters of books, key models, concepts and theories, and audio­ visual materials.

n

A preliminary list of the main non-course materials you are going to use, such as documents/articles you have sourced from the Internet and OU Library journals, or some equivalent non-course materials (see Web Activity 6).

Note that this preliminary outline more or less constitutes the output from the work you will do in week 32, as detailed in the Study Guide. It is entirely your responsibility to ensure that you meet this requirement. Your tutor will keep a copy of your plan. Note that, because the Course Essay is the examinable component of the course, your tutor is not allowed to comment on your plans nor give you any specific advice about your Course Essay. The next step in verification comes after submission of your essay. Tutors will be sent a copy of your essay and be asked to verify that the work appears to be that of the student concerned. Tutors do not mark the essays; this is done, as for exams scripts, by appointed scriptmarkers. You must keep a copy of your essay, and a file of all non-course materials you have used, in case there is any question regarding the authenticity of your Course Essay. In the case of such a query, the Examination and Assessment Board for DU301 will decide on the course of action and may contact you for more information.

Submission of Course Essay This section should be read in conjunction with the booklet Information for Students Submitting Examinable Work, which you should have received by early September. Once you have submitted your mandatory contact paper by the cut-off date you will go on to complete the writing of your Course Essay. Please make a careful note of the following requirements: n

Your Course Essay must be on A4 size paper and must be either word­ processed or typed. Note that you will need to allow time for this. Please use a clear, 12-point font.

n

Please put the title of your chosen option on the front sheet of your essay and make sure to state your name and personal identifier number on all

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sheets. Also please give the total word length (excluding references) at the end of the essay. n

You need to make four copies of your essay. Three should be sent in to the Head of Student Services, Assessment, Credits and Awards (using the addressed label provided) to arrive by the cut-off date of 10 October 2008. Keep the fourth copy plus proof of posting in your file in case of a verification query, or in case of loss in the post.

n

Attach form ET3 to all 3 copies of the essay you send in, remembering to fill in and sign all 3 copies of the form. The ET3 forms will be sent with the booklet Information for Students Submitting Examinable Work, which will be sent to you by early September.

n

If you include the receipt confirmation card when you submit the essay, you will receive this back from Walton Hall date stamped with the day of receipt for your records. Receipt will also be acknowledged via StudentHome.

4.3 Feedback on your Course Essay While it is not possible to provide you with detailed personal feedback on your Course Essay, you will receive some general information on your performance. As well as your overall grade, you will receive a summary of your performance using the general criteria referred to in ‘Preparing for the Course Essay’ in Study Guide 2. This will be based on a feedback form similar to the one shown below. A more detailed discussion of the different requirements can be found in ‘Preparing for the Course Essay’ in Study Guide 2. Sample feedback form Grading Developing a coherent Course Essay with a focused, analytical argument Using, applying and evaluating models of international order Using and applying theories and concepts Drawing on a range of course materials Relevant use of sources from outside of course materials Other important requirements Introduction: setting out plans and clarifying scope Conclusion: drawing ideas and argument together References properly cited and listed

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Grading Length

Far too long (>5000 words) Too long (4400–5000 words) To length (c.4000 words +/– 400 words) Too short (3000–3600 words) Far too short (<3000)

Overall evaluation

4.4 Frequently asked questions About procedure:

Can my tutor assist me in preparing for my Course Essay?

Your tutor is not allowed to help with the specifics of your Course Essay. This is the ‘examinable component’ of the course and, just as your tutor cannot sit in an exam with you, your tutor cannot help you with the ‘answer’. However, as with an examination, your tutor can help you with general advice on study skills, the procedures for submitting your Course Essay, its format and so on. Also note that the section ‘Preparing for the Course Essay’ in Study Guide 2 takes you carefully through the key steps involved in researching and writing it. What are the verification procedures?

‘Verification’ is the way in which the University ensures that the work submitted is your own. Your tutor will be asked to verify your work and will make reference to your mandatory contact paper and your earlier work on the course to do so. Please see the section ‘Verification’ above for details. Do I need to send my essay plan to my tutor?

Yes. This is compulsory and it is entirely your responsibility to make sure that you have submitted the required materials to your tutor, either by post or email, by the cut-off date of 26 September 2008. How do I fill in the ET3 form?

Follow the guidance provided in the booklet Information for Students Submitting Examinable Work. But I don’t have an ET3 form!

The ET3 forms will be sent with the booklet Information for Students Submitting Examinable Work. Various forms can be found at the back of this booklet. If you have not received this booklet by the middle of September, then you need to get hold of one. The contact address is: Projects, Portfolios and Dissertations Office, The Open University, PO Box 721, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6ZU; Tel: 01908 655291. Copies of the booklet can be obtained from www.open.ac.uk/assessment. What else do I need to do when submitting my Course Essay?

The requirements are all detailed above but a final checklist is provided in section 4.6.

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About the format of the essay: What materials should I use?

You are expected to draw on a wide range of course materials and make use of some non-course materials. In terms of course materials, each essay option is linked to one of Parts 1, 2, or 3 of Ordering the International. However, you are also required to make some use of concepts and theories from across the course as a whole (including Making the International). You are also required to make some use of the models of international order and theories of transformation discussed in Part 4 of Ordering the International. You may want to draw on other material from across the course as well. In terms of non-course materials, you are expected to use two academic journal articles and three documents you have downloaded from the Internet, or an equivalent amount of non-course materials from other sources. We strongly advise you not to try to go much beyond this amount, as you probably will have neither the study time nor the space to make use of much more than this while also doing justice to the course materials. Further guidance on materials is given in the ‘Guidance Notes’ for each option and in the section ‘Preparing for the Course Essay’ in Study Guide 2. We strongly encourage you to read those notes carefully. How frequently should I use sub-headings?

There is no formula for this, as no two essays are alike. So let us approach this question from a different direction. Sub-headings are a structuring device that writers use to organize their material and to present their arguments. In fact you have seen sub-headings in use throughout the course, in every chapter of both course books. Sub-headings should therefore be used to organize your ideas and help you to present those ideas coherently in your Course Essay. Should I attach non-course materials to my Course Essay?

No. But make sure to keep a copy of all the sources you use, and make sure to reference all material (whether course material or non-course) in your essay. Should I include references?

Yes. Your Course Essay must be properly referenced with in-text citations of sources and full list of references at the end. The same guidelines apply here as for your TMAs and you should refer to Section 3 of this Assignment Booklet for details. Are references included in the word count?

No. The essay should be about 4000 words long. Any footnotes other than references, or appendices, if you use them, should be included.

4.5 Cut-off date Your Course Essay must arrive at the Head of Student Services, Assessment, Credit and Awards, by 10 October 2008. It is essential that this cut-off date is adhered to. Late submissions are equivalent to not sitting an examination and will not be accepted. You will be sent more details on the submission of your essay in the booklet Information for Students Submitting Examinable Work. The mailing will contain a pre-addressed label, your ET3 forms and an acknowledgement card. (Note that the other cut-off date you must meet – sending your essay plan to your tutor – is 26 September 2008).

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4.6 Final checklist You might find it useful to refer to this checklist to make sure that you have met all the necessary requirements for submission of the Course Essay. Have I ...?

Tick when complete

Made contact with my tutor by 26 September 2008 and

supplied him or her with the necessary materials?

Checked the presentation of the essay?

Word-processed/typed it?

Provided full and proper references?

Put my name and PI number on each page?

Checked and stated the word length?

Provided three copies and kept a fourth for myself?

Attached form ET3?

Kept a file of all the non-course materials I have used as

sources for the essay?

Sent the essay in to the correct person and on time?

(to reach Walton Hall by 10 October 2008)

Addressed and stamped the acknowledgement postcard

(if you require confirmation of receipt)?

4.7 Course Essay questions Write an essay of no more than 4000 words on ONE of the following topics. (Note: Essays may be penalised if they are more than 10 per cent above or below this word limit.)

Option 1 Is the state-based international order more accurately characterised as an arena of continuity or of transformation?

Guidance Notes This question refers primarily to Part 1 of Ordering the International and the models of international order and debates about its transformation discussed in Part 4. You should also review your knowledge and understanding of states and the states-system from Making the International, especially Chapters 5, 6 and 9 (and parts of Chapters 10 and 12 might also offer some useful material). You might find it helpful to draw on the framework of analysis deployed in Chapters 1, 14 and 15 of Ordering the International, though this should be used flexibly as it is only a starting point, not a substitute for substantive analysis. You might want to think about the relationship between the different sectors of the international system and about transformations within the political sector. The models of international order and theories of transformation discussed in Part 4 can all be used to think about how the international order might be specified and how to think about the balance between continuity and transformation in international order. You should draw on at least two, but not

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more than four, of the models and theories from Part 4. You should also pay close attention to Audio 9 which has a discussion of models of international order and theories of transformation and how they can be used in your analysis, and Audio 10 which contains some general advice about the Course Essay. For examples and material to support your argument you can draw on any of the course material that focuses on relations between states as well as on the materials that you have sourced for yourself. This essay is designed to test your evaluation and application of models and theories and your understanding and application of concepts to the subject matter of this key dimension of international order (the states-system). It also assesses your ability to discuss the issues and evaluate arguments raised by the issues of continuity and transformation in the state-based international order. In addition, it assesses your ability to plan and carry out an independent piece of work and to research and use materials from outside of the course. The key to a good answer is a clear structure that locates the key issues to be discussed, puts forward a coherent argument in response to the question and selects and uses models of international order and theories of transformation appropriate to the argument put forth. You also need to think carefully about the kinds of evidence you can provide to support your argument or to illustrate the main points that you want to make. Note that the emphasis in terms of assessment is on evaluation and application of models, theories and concepts, not on the extent of your empirical knowledge. You therefore need to be selective in the use of evidence to support and illustrate your analysis. This supporting evidence might come from other parts of the course or from the materials you have sourced elsewhere.

Option 2 How might claims to universal human rights and justice transform the international order?

Guidance Notes This question refers primarily to Part 2 of Ordering the International and the models of international order and debates about its transformation discussed in Part 4. You are expected to show a good grasp of some different models of international order and theories of transformation and how they conceptualise change in the international arena. The question assesses your understanding of the debates about the role of human rights and justice and the ability to consider them within different models of international order and theories of transformation. You might also find it helpful to review different concepts of power discussed in Chapter 5 as well as in Chapter 9. Also of relevance is the debate between universality and particularity from Chapter 3 of Ordering the International. You might find it helpful to draw on the framework of analysis deployed in Chapters 1, 14 and 15 of Ordering the International, though this should be used flexibly as it is only a starting point, not a substitute for substantive analysis. While human rights and justice indicate an emphasis on the socio-cultural sector, you would need to consider how other sectors are affected too. You might want to review how culture was conceptualised (especially Chapters 6 and 9) as well as definitions of power. The models of international order and particularly the debates about transformation can be used to think about the role of human rights and justice claims in changing the international order. You should draw on at least two, but no more than four, of the models and theories from Part 4. You should also pay close attention to Audio 9 which

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has a discussion of models of international order and theories of transformation and how they can be used to help in your analysis, and Audio 10 which contains some general advice about the course essay. Audios 6 and 7 contain some relevant discussion for this question. For examples and material to support your argument, you can draw on any of the course material that focuses on human rights and justice, as well as on materials that you have sourced yourself. This essay is designed to test your evaluation and application of models and theories and your understanding and application of concepts to the subject matter of this key dimension of international order (culture, rights and justice). It also assesses your ability to plan and carry out an independent piece of work and to research and use materials from outside the course. The key to a good answer is a clear structure that locates the key issues to be discussed, puts forward a coherent argument in response to the question and selects and uses models of international order and theories of transformation appropriate to the argument put forth. You will also need to think carefully about the evidence you can adduce to support your argument or to illustrate the main points that you want to make. Note that the emphasis in terms of assessment is on evaluation and application of models, theories and concepts, not on the extent of your empirical knowledge. You therefore need to be selective in the use of evidence to support and illustrate your analysis. This supporting evidence might come from other parts of the course or from materials you have sourced elsewhere.

Option 3 In what ways might the emergence of transnational networks represent a challenge to an international order based on sovereign states?

Guidance Notes This question relates mainly to Part 3 of Ordering the International and the models of international order and theories of transformation discussed in Part 4. You might also find it helpful to review your understanding of the states­ system, anarchy and interdependence from Chapters 5 and 9 of Making the International. You will need to draw on some of the models and theories from Part 4 of Ordering the International in order to specify the nature of an international order based on sovereign states and to assess the ways in which transnational networks might represent a challenge to this. You might find it helpful to draw on the framework of analysis deployed in Chapters 1, 14 and 15 of Ordering the International, though this should be used flexibly as it is only a starting point, not a substitute for substantive analysis. The question focuses on the ways in which transnational networks might present a challenge to an international order based on sovereign states. You might therefore want to think about relations between different sectors of the international system and changes in the political sector as well as changes to the elements of the international system. The models of international order and theories of transformation can all be used to think about the challenges to an international order based on sovereign states. You should draw on at least two, but not more than four, of the models and theories from Part 4 of Ordering the International. You should also pay close attention to Audio 9 which has a discussion of models of international order and theories of transformation and how they can be used in your analysis, and Audio 10 which contains some general advice about the Course Essay. For examples and materials to support your argument you can draw on any of the relevant course materials as well as materials you have sourced for yourself.

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This essay is designed to test your evaluation and application of models and theories and your understanding and application of concepts to the subject matter of this key dimension of international order (transnational networks and the system of sovereign states). It also assesses your ability to plan and carry out an independent piece of work and to research and use materials from outside the course. The key to a good answer is a clear structure that locates the key issues to be discussed, puts forward a coherent argument in response to the question and selects and uses models of international order and theories of transformation appropriate to the argument put forth. You also need to think carefully about the kinds of evidence you can provide to support your argument or to illustrate the main points that you want to make. Note that the emphasis in terms of assessment is on evaluation and application of models, theories and concepts, not on the extent of your empirical knowledge. You therefore need to be selective in the use of evidence to support or illustrate your analysis. This evidence might come from the course materials or from materials you have sourced from elsewhere.

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