Diplomacy By Design: Book Review
Diplomacy by Design: Luxury Arts and an "International Style" in the Ancient Near East, 1400-1200 BCE. Feldman, Marian. Chicago. The University of Chicago Press, 2006, First Edition, $60 USD, ISBN 0226240444
The beautiful oversized art book, perhaps even large enough to be a small coffee table book titled Diplomacy by Design: Luxury Arts and an "International Style" in the Ancient Near East, 1400-1200 BCE by Marian Feldman is truly a work of art. It is a scholarly text, Read More
Step 2.5: The Outline
If you go scuba diving, you probably know its more than a good idea, but a requirement to have a plan before you dive. If you don't know how long and how deep you will be under water, you may run out of air before its time to ascend. When writing an essay, its a good idea to make a careful outline and then write the outline. Many students have a tendency to just write, and this can be a good starting point, but its important that there are logical links between what you are writing and the arguments Read More
Step 1: Sitting and thinking
The first step to writing your research essay is the most enjoyable. Before you commit to anything on paper, think about the pros and cons of your various ideas. The great thing about this step is all you need to do is think about your project and come up with ideas. Some people find it helps to draw idea maps or doodles with ideas and try to come up with ways they are connected. I would ask you to figure out a few key points at this stage:
What is the question or topic the assignment asks you Read More
Writing Advice
Writing your masterpiece of an essay
Welcome. Hopefuly you have arrived at this page not out of procrastination or frustration with your academic writing, but are interested in picking up a few pointers. Don't worry if you feel stuck, from writing a dissertation essay to writing a great essay on any topic, all it takes is planning, logical flow and some examples to support your arguments.
In graduate school we have been fond of saying that you can either get it done, or make it perfect, Read More
The joys of marking papers
Yes. I am marking your paper. I know you don't care. Why leave me comments?
One of my favorite gripes is the lack of interest and agency students take in their studies. If they let classes and assignments slip by in order to prioritize other areas of their busy lives, the important lessons of university are going to go by the wayside.
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The Amarna Letters and IR Context
The Amarna letters were an extraordinary archaeological find, as they gave concrete proof of the type of diplomatic system and international relations existent in the ancient Near East. In Amarna Diplomacy: The Beginnings of International Relations by Cohen and Westbrook, the Amarna political system is evaluated through various letters from the collection and then contrasted to modern diplomatic systems. This essay will outline the Amarna age and system and examine the diplomatic character of the Read More
Turbulence in World Politics
In Turbulence and World Politics: A Theory of Changing Continuity, Roseneau makes the case for a changing global society in post-international politics. This essay will first examine Roseneau's discussions of elite and powerful people – including topics such as changing roles and skills inherent in politics, artificial intelligence, and expert systems, and how they are relevant to the political landscape today. Similarly, this essay will address Roseneau's “other side of the coin” – the Read More
The Transformation of Political Community
The changing and dynamic role of political community is analyzed and discussed in The Transformation of Political Community by Andrew Linklater. This essay will review the work and discuss the various aspects of citizenship and community in the modern post-Westphalian era, with the underlying goal of respect for fundamental human rights and the integration of all members of humanity into a social hall. The tools with which to accomplish this, which include political discourse, Read More
European Conquest and Rights
The role of indigenous peoples in international society is complex to discern and define. In European Conquest and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: The Moral Backwardness of International Society, Paul Keal examines the role in which European conquest and history have impacted indigenous peoples. This essay will examine aspects from the book, namely the access to the political franchise by indigenous peoples, the state of international society and the various rights and obligations which society Read More