You must first select a country from the Country Profiles uploaded. These profiles describe the political institutions, and political culture, as well as threats to, and prospects for, democracy in each state. In the “Democratic Rollback,” Larry Diamond identifies a group of states in which the emergence of stable democracy has been “slowed by a powerful authoritarian tow.” These states include China, Egypt, Iran, Russia, Turkey and Venezuela. Diamond also identifies a set of comparatively stable yet still troubled democracies in which there are “serious problems of governance and deep pockets of disaffection.” These states include Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, and South Africa. For this assignment, please choose one of these states, and write a policy memo. This memo should address two main questions: (1) What are the main threats/impediments to democracy present in the state? (2) What sorts of policies and/or institutions must be put in place in order to make the state an accountable, legitimate and stable democracy? To begin, you will find uploads of each of these states. These profiles have two main sources: the 2016 Report by Freedom House[1], entitled “Freedom in the World,” and the 4th edition[2] of the World Encyclopaedia of Political Systems and Parties. These profiles describe the political institutions, and political culture, as well as threats to, and prospects for, democracy in each state. You are also expected to make extensive use of assigned course material: for this assignment, the articles by Diamond, Douglass C. North and Barry Weingast, Daron Acemoglu, Fareed Zakaria and S.M. Lipset are particularly relevant. Of course, you are also welcome, but not obligated, to consult additional secondary material; you will find suggestions for further reading in the aforementioned profiles. Directions and Reminders A detailed grading rubric for this assignment is available There is no word limit (or minimum) for this assignment. Spelling and grammar count. Your grade is based on constructing a convincing argument and a poorly written paper is not very convincing. Essay style is also important. You must have a clear thesis, which you set out to prove through supporting claims backed up by evidence. Please make sure to properly cite all sources and to include all relevant references in an attached bibliography. You may use any citation method (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.) you like as long as you do so consistently. Please avoid cover sheets, but make sure to have a header. This header should consist of your name, the course number and name, the date, the name of your instructor, as well as the assignment (“Policy Memo #1”) in the upper left corner of your review. Late assignments will be penalized 5% per day. No assignments will be accepted 5 days after the original due date. All written work must be your own so that I can accurately gauge your learning and provide feedback to improve. You are only permitted to use course content and the resources provided by the instructor. You are permitted to use Grammar Check and Spellcheck in Microsoft Word / Grammarly to help proof-read your work. All quotes and paraphrases from permitted course material must be integrated and cited in APA style. You can find a detailed guide on how to cite using APA formatting here. Sources other than those mentioned above are prohibited. As well, unauthorized use of online paraphrasing tools, online translation tools, artificial intelligence text generators or friends and family members to produce or edit your work is prohibited.
