*at the bottom I will list some key words that can be used The final assignment for this course is a policy memo. Students should write a memo in response to a policy problem of choice relevant to this course.
The policy memo (10%) should be between 5-7 pages (double spaced, 12-point font) in length double-spaced. Detailed instructions will be provided. The memo is due by the end of the final exam time slot on Canvas (section 1: 5/14, 10am ; section 2: 5/19, 1pm).
Students are also expected to deliver a presentation (2.5%) to the class based on their policy memo. Presentations will be followed by Q&A, during which students are expected to ask at least one question or provide one comment (in the form of constructive feedback) per day. Presentations will take place on 4/30, 5/5, 5/7.
- Cite your work!
- Use in-text citations. Specifically, use footnotes/endnotes after each time that you draw on a source (i.e. you quote directly, paraphrase, or reference specific data points, arguments, or ideas that are not your own). Make sure that footnotes/endnotes include references to specific page numbers.
- At the end of your memo, provide a list of sources used. You must use at least five authoritative sources (such as primary sources, academic books and journal articles, think tank reports).
- Note: you may cite assigned texts, newspaper articles, commentary, and blogs (as well as other non-authoritative sources), but these will not count toward the five required authoritative sources.
- Please use an accepted citation style of your choice (Chicago is preferred), just be consistent.
- For a guide on how to properly use footnotes/endnotes, see:
- Format:
Your memo should contain the following components, in this order: Audience, Summary, Background, Analysis, and Recommendation.
- Audience – at the top of your memo, indicate your intended audience (i.e. a specific decision-maker).
- Summary – provide a concise summary of the policy problem, your analysis, and your recommendation.
- Background – provide a concise review of the policy problem at hand, a discussion of the problem’s importance (to your audience), and any relevant and recent policy responses (measures already taken).
- “Concise” means not discussing decades of history – just hit the high notes and get to the current state of play.
- Analysis –discuss the range, sequencing, and likely outcome of TWO policy options. For each of the policy options, discuss the benefits and drawbacks.
- Provide reasons for why a particular option might be good or bad.
- You might consider whether the option will receive allied and multilateral support, or domestic political support. But be clear on why this would or would not matter.
- Apply course concepts.
- Note: This is the most important part of your memo! Make sure to be specific and to sufficiently flesh out and defend your ideas.
- Recommendation – this section should sum up your analysis of the policy options you’ve laid out in the analysis portion.
- Which would you recommend, and why?
- Anticipate and address potential counterarguments to your recommendation. In other words, demonstrate that you are aware of potential objections and explain why your recommendation is still preferable to the alternative (i.e. the option you don’t choose).
Expectations
These assignments are designed to get you to apply the concepts and frameworks that you have learned in class to real world issues. Memos that regurgitate current events and do not apply key concepts from class will do poorly. Memos that creatively apply concepts from class to propose innovative policies will do well.
Address the instructor’s feedback that you received on your memo outline. You will find this feedback in the track changes comments / comment bubbles on the document with your outline that was uploaded onto Canvas.
Avoid overly vague policy prescriptions.
Substantiate all claims that are not strictly factual with evidence (i.e. concrete data points, anecdotes, etc.).
Use clear, active prose. Avoid jargon and passive voice. Be specific - aim to show, rather than to tell.
Incorporate the feedback that you received on your outline. If you have questions about the feedback, make sure to speak with the instructor!
🔑 Core International Relations Terms (for your policy memo)🧠 Theoretical Frameworks (MOST IMPORTANT)
These are the lenses your professor expects you to use:
-
Realism
→ States prioritize power, survival, and security in an anarchic system -
Liberalism
→ Emphasizes cooperation, institutions, trade, and diplomacy -
Constructivism
→ Focuses on ideas, identity, norms, and perceptions shaping behavior
👉 These three are the backbone of almost every IR policy memo.
⚖️ Power & Security Concepts
- Balance of Power – States act to prevent any one state from dominating
- Security Dilemma – One state’s defense buildup makes others feel threatened
- Deterrence – Preventing action through threat of retaliation
- Hard Power – Military force and coercion
- Soft Power – Influence through culture, diplomacy, and values
🌍 System-Level Concepts
-
Anarchy (International System)
→ No central authority above states -
Self-Help System
→ States must rely on themselves for survival - State Sovereignty – States have authority over their territory
- National Interest – Primary goals of a state (security, power, stability)
🤝 Cooperation & Institutions
- International Institutions (e.g., UN, NATO)
- Collective Security – States agree to defend each other
- Diplomacy – Negotiation instead of conflict
- Economic Interdependence – Trade reduces likelihood of war
⚔️ Conflict & Strategy Terms
- Escalation vs. De-escalation
- Containment – Limiting a rival’s power
- Proxy War – Conflict through third parties
- Asymmetric Warfare – Unequal military capabilities
-
Preemptive vs. Preventive War
- Preemptive: stopping an imminent threat
- Preventive: stopping a future potential threat
🧩 Decision-Making & Analysis
- Rational Actor Model – States make cost-benefit decisions
-
Levels of Analysis
- Individual (leaders)
- State (domestic politics)
- System (global structure)
💡 Norms & Identity (Constructivist angle)
- Norms – Shared expectations of behavior
- Legitimacy – Whether actions are seen as justified
- Identity – How states see themselves (e.g., U.S. as global leader)
🧠 How to Use These in YOUR Memo
Your memo question:
“What is the best course of action for U.S. policy in the Iran war?”
You should frame your analysis like this:
- Realist angle → Security, deterrence, military risk
- Liberal angle → Diplomacy, alliances, institutions
- Constructivist angle → Perceptions, ideology, legitimacy