COLBY COLLEGE
Department of Government
Prof. Rodman Fall 2002
ESSAY ASSIGNMENT #1
Justice and War
Government 237
INSTRUCTIONS
You will be required to present in class the position you have been assigned below. Each student is responsible for presenting to me no more than a one-page abstract of his or her argument by 5:00 the day before the class for which it is assigned. You should be prepared to give a succinct five-minute summary of your argument in class. A 6-10 page final draft of your paper is due at 5:00 three days after the class for which it has been assigned. Late papers will be penalized 1/3 of a grade per day late.
In preparing your papers, you should carefully consider the following:
1. These are position or debate papers, not analytical papers where you present your own conclusions. While you should think about where you would stand and be prepared to express your point of view in class, the papers and presentations will be graded on how well they present the position assigned.
2. In presenting your argument, you must relate it to the concepts and theories presented in class and in the readings (e.g., consequentialism, deontology, realism, the legalist paradigm, Walzer’s framework, etc . . .).
3. An excellent paper should not only present your position, but also address explicitly the point of view contrary to the one you have been assigned and explain why you disagree with it using both logic and evidence. A strong paper does not simply replicate one of the chapters or articles that takes your position.
4. You should consult some sources outside the required readings in preparing your paper. A list of sources is appended to the assignment. For both required and outside sources, you must document your paper using footnotes.
SCHEDULE OF PRESENTATIONS
October 3: The Reagan Doctrine
Nicaragua Debate
Supporting Intervention on Realist Grounds Clark Stevens
Supporting Intervention in International Law Jesse Newman
Supporting the Morality of Intervention Kelly Miller
Opposing Intervention on Realist Grounds Steve Bogden
Opposing Intervention in International Law Dan Schless
Opposing the Morality of Intervention Julie Finn
Panama Debate
Supporting Intervention on Realist Grounds Matt Danziger
Supporting Intervention in International Law Chanda Kheang
Supporting the Morality of Intervention Adelin Cai
Opposing Intervention on Realist Grounds Mike DiStefano
Opposing Intervention in International Law Nick Falker
Opposing the Morality of Intervention Marc Bouchard
October 8: The Persian Gulf War
Was the Persian Gulf War a Just War?
YES NO
Using the criteria of
Just Cause and
Right Intention Erik Tokashi Orly Menzin
Using the criteria of
Right Authority and
Last Resort Igor Gnyp Emily Goss
Was the decision not to intervene in Iraq’s internal affairs in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War the right decision on
YES NO
Realist Grounds Amelia Confalone Lisa Reinhalter
Moral and Legal Grounds Kim Langone Jennifer Santini
October 10: The Bush Doctrine of Preventive War and Iraq
FOR AGAINST
Realism/National Interest Laura Birx Ryan Connell
International Law Alyson Lindquist Charles Data
The Ethics of Preventive War Susan Ellsworth Bill Thompson
October 24: Bosnia Simulation from "Anthony Lake and the War in Bosnia"
Decision Making Simulation between advocates of intervention (Bianca Belcher) and those who believe intervention would undermine NATO unity (Zombor Zoltani) during the crisis in the Bihac corridor spelled in the Daalder case study on reserve. Amanda Epstein will play Anthony Lake and have to justify the decision that was actually taken at the end of the debate.
November 5: Was the Kosovo War a Just War?
YES NO
Just Cause Edwin Stone Jason Beal
Right Authority Andrew Volk John McManigal
Last Resort Claire Riley Alex Mocanu
OUTSIDE SOURCES
I will list outside sources for the presenters beyond the recommended readings in the syllabus. You might also consult databases, such as Academic Search Premier, Lexis-Nexis, and JSTOR. Here are some suggestions in "mining" these resources.
In terms of periodical coverage of international news, the best sources are the New York Times and the Economist In terms of journals of opinion, good essays from a variety of perspectives can be found in the National Review, Weekly Standard, New Republic, The Nation, The American Prospect, and The Progressive. Academic search premier also catalogues a number of military as well as pacifist journals that you might consult.
2. The two best international relations journals from which you can find the best articles are Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy. Both are indexed in the Expanded Academic Index. Another journal this deals explicitly with the themes of this class is Ethics & International Affairs, which we keep in the library in the reserve room. The best conservative policy journal is the National Interest. The best liberal/normative one is World Policy Journal.