The United Nations committee on International Relations (UNIR) is constructing the funding priorities for the U.N. for the next year. As an expert in international relations, the UNIR has asked you to present the key threat or problem addressed in international relations and offer a well thought out solution to that issue. It does not have to be an issue that the U.N. typically addresses, they are looking for originality and insight into future problems. A number of other scholars have been asked to make similar presentations, and in preparation for this task you have agreed to view and comment on each other’s proposals. Thus you will need to outline a problem and your solution, comment on others’ outlines and then make your presentation to the UNIR during the last week of November and the first week of December (November 22 and 25, and December 2 and 4).

Here are the UNIR’s guidlelines:

1. Outline – Answer a number of the following questions. What is the most important problem or issue in international relations? How has it been addressed or ignored in the past? What concrete solution(s) do you offer to address this problem or issue? What are the advantages and disadvantages of your solution? At the end of your outline please include your e-mail address. The outline format will be as follows:

I. Title and Your Name

II. Problem with brief history / background

III. Solutions with advantages and disadvantages

IV. Your e-mail address.

This outline should be no more than one page (with one-inch margins), single spaced in 11 or 12-point readable font (this is 11-point Times New Roman). Please use complete sentences and proper grammar. This outline must be received by the UNIR by class time on Friday, November 15. Students may hand in a disk containing the outline in class or e-mail the outline so that it is received before the start of class. Disks will be returned. The outline may be an attachment or directly in the text of the e-mail, so long as the length requirements are not exceeded. Attachments should be Word, Wordperfect, or something that Word is able to read. UNIR is not responsible for late e-mails or garbled e-mails due to computer errors, and thus suggests sending them early. Outlines will be posted online Friday, November 15 by 4pm for all to read (see section #2 below).

2. Feedback – Each scholar must read two proposals and send comments, questions, feedback, or suggestions to the author of the proposal (see link at www.geocities.com/pvaninw). Send your comments to the e-mail address listed for each proposal with a copy of the e-mail sent to UNIR (use the cc: function on your e-mail, cc: [email protected]). To ensure that every proposal is read and has at least two comments, each scholar will respond to the two proposals that are below theirs on the list. The web page will have a list of titles and authors at the top of the page. From this locate your title and name. The two proposals below yours are the ones that you should respond to. If you are at the bottom of the list, respond to those at the top. The e-mails must be sent by noon on Wednesday, November 20 to be credited.

In addition to making the presentations, you will be asked to evaluate each other scholars’ presentations on a number of factors. Scholars will be given an evaluation form at the beginning of each class.

Your presentation grade will consist of four parts (remember, the presentation grade accounts for 15% of your course grade): 30% for the outline; 10% for the feedback; 50% for the presentation; 10% for the evaluation.