Reference no: EM132273164

Question: Prompt for Intro to Politics Reflective Essay

In the reflective essay, you will discuss your preconceptions about political science and politics; what you did and did not know about political science and politics before completing the course. You will explain the concepts of political theory, American government, comparative politics, and international relations and how they form the discipline of political science and inform our understanding of world politics. You will also explain the different forms of government systems throughout the world and how they interact with each other and their impact on policy and decision-making. You should use the examples of human rights, economic well-being, ecological health, and war and peace to help support your points in the essay. The purpose of this essay is for you to make sense of the course and the course materials in the context of the real world and current events in world politics. The main audience for this paper is yourself, so you will be expected to honestly explore your views, be open to new information, analyze the course materials, and demonstrate a full understanding of the issues that most impact world politics.

Your paper should include the following four elements:

I. Exploration

Discuss the preconceptions you brought to the class and explain how they have been challenged by the course.

II. Explanation

Explain what political science and politics are. How do political decisions get made? What types of factors influence political decision-making? How are decisions influenced by world political leaders and the different types of government systems in place in countries around the world.

III. Analysis

Based upon your own experiences and what was discussed in class, are there things in political science and world politics and political systems that you think can be improved upon or changed? In other words, what works and what doesn't? What recommendations for improvement/ change would you make?

IV. Synthesis

Explain how you might put these recommendations into action. In doing so, make sure you reevaluate your preconceptions. How have they changed as a result of this course? How might these changes affect how you view government and politics in the future?

GENERAL GUIDELINES:

1. The paper should be a minimum of 1000 words. A paper of less than the minimum word count will be marked down;

2. Your essay MUST reference the notes used in class and the textbook and should be cited appropriately; you do not need to include a works cited page unless you use other sources;