Second Paper Assignment

Due April 7, 1998

 

Write a paper on one of the topics below, drawing upon information contained in readings, lectures, and the course web site.

 

1. Where are the prospects for democracy brighter, in Sub-Saharan Africa or in Eastern Europe? Support your argument with examples from specific cases.

 

2. Examine the role of the International Monetary Fund in shaping the global economy, focusing particularly on the controversy surrounding its involvement in economic restructuring in Eastern Europe and its response to the Asian economic crisis. Is the IMF acting in the interests of those nations seeking its assistance? How does the IMF influence the domestic politics of these nations?

 

3. How has the Chinese Communist Party managed to stay in power while overseeing the fundamental transformation of China’s economy? In arriving at an answer to this question, compare the Chinese course of reform with Gorbachev’s perestroika reform program.

 

4.Through examination of the crisis in Kosovo, consider the causes and consequences of ethnic nationalism in post-socialist societies.

 

5. Consider the applicability of the East Asian model of economic growth to other regions of the world, such as South Asia and Africa.

 

Your paper should be five to seven pages long, double-spaced, with one-inch margins. Cite all sources of information, using either parenthetical citations or footnotes. If you use parenthetical citations, a bibliography must be included. Papers will be due in class April 7. Late papers will not be accepted.

 

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