Student guide: The M.A. Comprehensive Examination
The M.A. comps are an important milestone in your graduate career. This guide will help you prepare for them.
THE MA COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION PROCEDURES
Congratulations on reaching this important step in your graduate education!
The comprehensive examination is a critical part of the GPIS MA program. You should view it not simply as a hurdle to pass over on your way to graduation, but instead as an opportunity to pull together the material you have covered in the course of your graduate education. The process of preparing for the comprehensive exam should help you organize and reflect on the variety of things you have learned over the past few years. While to this point, each of your seminars has been a distinct learning experience, you now have the opportunity to think about how your interdisciplinary work in international studies fits together. Preparation for the comprehensive exam should help you become better able to integrate and utilize the knowledge you have gained in your graduate study.
This booklet will help give you a clear sense of the comprehensive examination. It contains two full sample exams to show you the structure of the examinations, as well as a complete listing of questions from the last several years.
The Comprehensive Examination Process
The comprehensive exams will be scheduled for a single day each semester. You will have four-and-a-half hours to complete the exam (students whose first language is not English will have the option of taking one additional hour). You can take the exam either at a computer or with handwriting. GPIS will arrange for a place for you to take the exam, usually in a computer lab. The exam is closed book and no notes or other aids of any kind are allowed.
Exam Grading
The exam will be graded by a committee of GPIS faculty. The committee will usually, but not always, include the directors of the relevant tracks and the director and associate director of GPIS. It will usually take about two weeks to get the exams graded.
Passing the Comprehensive Exam
Different examiners may read the exams in different ways, and it is the student's responsibility to write answers that are generally accessible and appealing across the variety of GPIS faculty. Most readers will be looking for a clear and direct answer to the question, evidence of reasonable familiarity with the important literature, and an ability to integrate theory and empirical cases.
In order to pass the comprehensive exam, students must receive passing evaluations from a simple majority of the committee members.
Failing the Comprehensive Exam
Our goal and expectation is that every student will pass the comprehensive examination. The exam is not designed to be a barrier to graduation. It is meant to be a straightforward assessment of the student's ability to handle the basic concepts they will have been exposed to in their graduate education. Nonetheless, and precisely because the exam is conceptualized as an assessment of basic abilities, it plays an important role in our willingness to certify a student as having achieved the necessary level of ability to be recognized as an MA graduate.
Students who do not pass the exam on the first attempt will have to retake the exam in a subsequent semester. Failure on the second attempt will prevent the student from receiving the MA degree. A student who fails twice on the exam will still have a transcript attesting to their performance in their GPIS graduate seminars, but they will not be able to receive the MA degree.
Preparing for the Comprehensive Exam
The best preparation for the MA comprehensive examination is the GPIS coursework you have completed. Reviewing the notes and materials from your seminars and trying to organize it around some integrative themes is essential preparation. The following pages offer some suggestions for effective preparation and for the effective writing of a comprehensive examination.
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TIPS FOR PREPARING FOR THE MA COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS
1. Take appropriate classes
In consultation with your advisor and other faculty, be sure to select a variety of classes that will give you the broad background you need for the comprehensive exam.
2. Keep effective class notes and reading notes.
You should be thinking about preparation for the comprehensive exams from the beginning of your program. Keeping your seminar and reading notes in an organized manner will allow for more effective comprehensive exam review. You will particularly want to be careful about the material in the core classes.
3. Work on exam preparation in groups
Working with others can help you share the labor of summarizing and reviewing material. You can work with others on identifying the critical literature and on developing answers to hypothetical test questions.
4. Pay particular attention to the broad literature of international relations theory that will help you in answering a wide variety of questions.
Many of the questions across the different tracks will benefit from an effective understanding of the broad currents and debates of international relations theory. One of the things a graduate education should help you do is to apply general theory to a variety of specific situations. Displaying that ability on the comprehensive exam is a good idea.
5. Identify some historical periods and important episodes and issues around which you will develop a particular expertise.
Alas, no one can know everything about everything. You will see in this collection of sample questions that it is relatively rare for a question to demand knowledge of a particular event or historical period. Nonetheless, you will also see that you are often called upon to identify a critical historical period or event. You will be expected to evince in depth knowledge of some issues or areas. Effective in-depth knowledge of a few critical issue areas or historical episodes can help you generate appropriate material for a wide variety of questions. You should also pay attention to current events of critical importance and be able to place them in historical context.
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TIPS FOR WRITING AN EFFECTIVE COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
1. Make sure you answer the questions explicitly and clearly.
The most common comprehensive exam mistake is to not explicitly and clearly answer the question. Read the question very carefully and make sure that you offer an explicit answer to the question. Do not rely on the readers to draw out implicit answers.
2. Make appropriate reference to the literature and relevant scholarly debates.
You will not, of course, be expected to provide detailed citations. But, you should demonstrate familiarity with the basic literature. You should be able to appropriately reference the scholars whose arguments are relevant to a particular issue. You may occasionally include the name of a book or article and the date of its publication.
3. Make appropriate use of theory and of empirical and historical knowledge.
If appropriately done, it is particularly effective to use theory to inform answers on history questions and history to inform answers on theory questions.
4. Write full answers that are structured with an introduction and conclusion.
As in all writing, structure and organization are important to effective communication. Just because it is a time-limited exam is no excuse for jumbled, incoherent writing. Take the time to think through your argument and its structure before you write. As in all writing, signposting, headings, and clear explicit language can help communicate your ideas. Provide a clear introduction and conclusion that can help you summarize your central point and will reassure the readers that you have, in fact, explicitly answered the question.
5. Don't make big mistakes
This, of course, is common sense, but I can't overemphasize how difficult it is to certify someone as ready for an MA degree in international studies who fundamentally misunderstands some essential literature, or who demonstrates a wanton disregard for historical accuracy.
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TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS
(These are the instructions that come with the exam)
1. You have received a formatted diskette on which you must write your answers if you have opted to use word processing equipment for this examination. If not, your answers must be handwritten, each in a separate blue book, provided. If needed, you may continue an answer in another blue book, identifying properly each question. Be sure they are identified clearly.
2. Should you have any problems with your diskette or any computer problems at any time during the examination, report to the Proctor immediately.
3. Make sure to save every page you type (write).
4. Make a backup copy for every typed answer.
5. Sign the Honor Pledge.
6. You have been provided with blue examination books. Use these to design and outline your answers. Do not use any other paper. If you are handwriting your answers in blue books, use extra ones to design/outline answers. Only identify bluebooks you actually use.
7. You may take a break at any time during the examination but do not leave the building.
8. When you have completed the examination, print your answers (if using word processing). Make sure that every answer is identified with the number on the question sheet, both in word processing and in handwriting.
9. Sign your name, date and time on every sheet.
10. You have four-and-a-half hours to answer three questions. At the end of the examination period, writing must cease. Printing via computer may be done following the writing.
11. At the end of the allotted time put your diskette, your printed and/or handwritten answers (do not staple), any blue books or extra blue books you may have used, the signed and dated Honor Pledge, the instruction sheet and the exam questions in the envelope provided. Include any extra pages accidentally produced, noting this fact. Sign the envelope across the back flap.
12. Hand the entire package to the Proctor in BAL 621 (or wherever designated).
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GUIDELINES TO ANSWERING QUESTIONS
(These are the instructions that come with the exam)
1. You must answer three questions.
2. The questions are meant to be answered in about one and a half hours each. Allocate your time accordingly and make sure that each question has a concluding section.
3. Also make sure that you:
answer the questions as they are raised and not as you wish they had been raised
illustrate your answer with appropriate empirical examples
cite relevant sources
make proper references to important interpretative debates, when appropriate
4. Your answers will be reviewed in terms of:
how effectively you address each of the questions
how well you know and manage your facts
how soundly you handle and cite the literature
how well you have developed and organized your argument
the quality of your writing
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Full sample examinations
FULL SAMPLE EXAMINATION I
FALL 1998
PART A. ANSWER AT LEAST TWO QUESTIONS. EACH OF YOUR ANSWERS MUST INCLUDE RELEVANT REFERENCES TO THE LITERATURE. YOU MUST COMMIT SUFFICIENT TIME TO EACH ANSWER.
1. American Foreign Policy:
When assessing America's foreign policies after World War II, in 1945-59, and throughout the Cold War, up to 1989, the question is not whether these policies exacerbated tensions with, and occasionally provoked, its adversaries or even its allies. The question, rather, is whether these policies represented a rational and reasonable response to real risks as these were being perceived at the time. Discuss that hypothesis in the context of two specific U.S. policies, which you can select as you see fit.
2. International Relations Theory - To answer question #2, choose either a. or b.
One of the major differences between the schools of Neorealism and Neoliberalism is their view on relative versus absolute gains. Define relative and absolute gains. Do you believe most leaders focus on relative gains more than absolute gains? What does your answer imply about prospects for cooperation in world affairs?
Do regimes matter in world affairs? Would you recommend to leaders that they spend precious resources developing regimes in various areas of world affairs, or would you tend to argue that regimes are "window dressing", the product of romantic minds, or at best only temporary checks on quasi-anarchy?
3. International Economics - To answer question #3, choose either a. or b. Use graphs in your answers.
Protectionism is followed to some extent by every country, but by historical standards today's tariffs are relatively low as are other trade barriers. One reason for this is the economic effect of tariffs. Examine the economic effects of imposing a tariff. Assume we import cars and export food.
1. If the terms of trade do not change, show what happens to:
A. Production
B. Consumption
C. Producer surplus in the import industry
D. Consumer surplus in the import industry
E. Government revenue
F. Net social gain or loss
G. Level of imports
2. Use offer curve analysis to show what happens to:
A. The terms of trade
B. Our country's welfare
C. The foreign country's welfare
The Asian crisis has reduced the level of investment and income in the affected countries. Explain how this can affect the U.S. economy using the Keynesian open economy macro model.
PART B. ANSWER ONE QUESTION, AS APPLICABLE (OR THREE FROM PART A)
(Please note that the particular questions offered in Part B will depend on the field of the students taking the exam.)
1. Political Economy:
Structural adjustment programs are a package of reforms that have been widely implemented since the early 1980s. One objective of these reforms is to reduce the involvement of the state in economic activity in favor of market allocation of resources. Another objective is to intensify globalization by liberalizing international trade and reducing mechanisms that restrict the free mobility of capital across borders. Taking the overall adjustment mechanism or any specific aspect(s) of it, examine the impacts on economic growth, income redistribution, and political stability of a country or a region of your choice.
FULL SAMPLE EXAMINATION II
SPRING 1999
PART A. ANSWER AT LEAST TWO QUESTIONS. EACH OF YOUR ANSWERS MUST INCLUDE RELEVANT REFERENCES TO THE LITERATURE. YOU MUST COMMIT SUFFICIENT TIME TO EACH ANSWER.
1. American Foreign Policy:
With specific reference to any one region or country of the world, but also in the specific context of any one ten-year period of your choice, please review, analyze, and compare (similarities and differences) the policies of any two postwar administrations in order to illustrate and explain continuity and change in U.S. foreign policy.
2. International Relations Theory - To answer question #2, choose either a. or b.
Most theorists of world affairs accept the notion that the structure of world affairs is quasi-anarchy or anarchy. Indeed, much of subsequent theory and hypothesis development is related to analysis of quasi-anarchy and its consequences.
Define the term "regime." To what extent do you believe that international regimes can temper, lessen, or control anarchy? Draw on lecture and readings to answer this question.
What are the most significant consequences of anarchy? How do they differ from the consequences of hierarchy?
3. International Economics - To answer question #3, choose either a. or b. Use clearly labeled graphs in your answer.
The basic motivation for international trade to occur is that product prices differ across nations. Choosing one theory from international trade:
Explain how these price differences arise
Describe the resulting pattern of trade between two nations and
Graphically demonstrate that international trade benefits both nations
(To keep things simple, assume the world consists of only two countries: Home and Foreign, and only two goods are produced: food and machines.)
Over the last decade Japan has continued to run large current account surpluses. Because of concern over this surplus, U.S. government officials have continued to urge the Japanese government to adopt a more expansionary fiscal policy stance. Using the Keynesian open economy macro model (also called the IS/LM/BP or the IS/LM/FE model), explain how such increases in government spending would affect the Japanese economy.
PART B. ANSWER ONLY ONE QUESTION, AS APPLICABLE (OR THREE FROM PART A).
(Please note that the particular questions offered in Part B will depend on the field of the students taking the exam.)
1. American Foreign Policy - Choose One, a. or b.
Explain and discuss, with specific examples, the following comment: For the greatest part of our history, the United States has been sufficiently powerful and remote from the rest of the world to sustain the assumption that, alone among the major nations of the world, we had the choice of whether or not to commit ourselves to an international role and that, if we chose to, we would be able to overcome in a definite time frame whatever challenge had elicited our involvement.
For many years following the Vietnam War, there were numerous references to a so-called Vietnam syndrome. How do you define it? How do you explain it? How do you assess its impact on the foreign policies of the United States during the balance of the Cold War? Does the syndrome still affect policies today?
2. Transnational Relations:
What is ethnicity? What is ethno-regionalism? Choose a state in the modern world which is coping with the problems of ethno-regionalism. Using examples of specific ethnic groups within that state (a) discuss the nature and causes of ethnic conflict, (b) relate what is going on within the state to global trends (what's going on in other countries around the world), and (c) propose a number of alternative futures for the state vis-a-vis its ethnic minority(ies).
3. Political Economy:
The relevance of Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) for developing countries has been highly controversial. Identify the essential components of this package of economic liberalization measures and assess their impacts on any geographical region or country of your choice in which they have been implemented.
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AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY
2004
1. Did the post-Vietnam belief that the American public will not accept casualties significantly affect foreign policymaking during the balance of the Cold War? Please explain and discuss in the context of a particular foreign policy crisis in the post-Vietnam, pre-9/11 period. How did the horrific events of September 11, 2001 affect that belief, however defined?
2. "Cold war stability grew out of "rules" that the two superpowers embraced out of a mixture of custom, precedent, and mutual interest." Explain the idea of stability, and describe and discuss the rules that helped produce and maintain that stability during the early Cold War years.
3. It is widely argued that the Korean War was the decisive event that shaped the Cold War, transformed the emerging alliance system, and conditioned America's rise to globalism. Explain, discuss, and debate this argument in the context of the conditions that preceded the war, as well as the events that followed it. Conclude with a reference to the event or events, if any, that might have had a similarly decisive impact on the post-Cold War era.
4. Identify and discuss the historical contributions of Reagan/Bush policies and initiatives to the ending of the Cold War, from 1981 to 1991. Explain the conditions that permitted such contributions, and assess the extent to which these contributions proved to be decisive. Finally, conclude with some references to other factors that contributed to the final outcomes but were largely independent of U.S. policies and initiatives during that period.
2003
1. Identify three crises, events, or issues that best characterize the Cold War. Do NOT describe any of these at any length, but single out those features and patterns that best explain why these are so intimately identified, in your judgment, with the Cold War. Conclude your answer with some conclusions about the nature of this conflict in the broad context of history.
2. Describe and discuss the evolution of U.S. policies toward any country or region of your choice (except the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe) during a 10-year period of your choice. In lieu of an introduction, explain your choice of the period you wish to discuss. To conclude your answer, explain the relevance of that region or country to current US interests and policies.
3. Compare and contrast the use of military force against Iraq in 1991 and 2003. How do you explain differences between these two wars? Are they sufficient to suggest a changed or unchanging U.S. role in the world?
4. Compare and contrast U.S.-European relations during and after the Cold War. What does your comparison (similarities and differences) tell you about the future of the relationship, as well as the future role of the U.S. and Europe in the world?
5. "The Soviet Union did not collapse by osmosis, nor because time was somehow on our side. Soviet communism was not an organism doomed to self-destruct in any international environment, nor was Soviet military power a reality bond to disappear before it could ever be used. American policies could and did alter the course of Soviet history in such a way as to make the decline and fall of the Soviet Empire somehow inevitable." Identify and discuss the tools that were available to U.S. policy makers to somehow force the Soviet collapse.
6. "We've finally kicked the Vietnam syndrome." Which U.S. president, if any, could have said that, when and under what circumstances? What is the Vietnam syndrome and what impact, if any, did it have on American foreign policy for the balance of the Cold War?
2002
1. Identify the most dangerous foreign policy crisis faced during THE FIRST TERM of ONE of the U.S. administrations listed below. Explain briefly the issues raised by this crisis, and why these issues made the crisis so much more significant and demanding than any of the alternative crises you might have considered otherwise. Analyze and assess how the crisis was handled and ultimately resolved.
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1957)
Richard M. Nixon (1969-1973)
Ronald Reagan (1981-1985)
2. Earlier this year, Condoleezza Rice observed: "I really think this period is analogous to 1945 to 1947, when the containment doctrine took shape, in that the events so clearly demonstrated that there is a big global threat to a lot of countries that would not have normally been thought of as being in a U.S.-led coalition. That has started shifting the tectonic plates in international politics; it's important to try to seize on that and position American interests and institutions before the international system hardens again."
First, discuss whether this characterization of the postwar period is valid, and whether it would meet with the approval of George F. Kennan - whether with regard to the facts of the postwar years or the concepts of the strategy he developed. Next, examine and discuss whether the analogy suggested by Dr. Rice is relevant, and whether it provides any help for the development of current U.S. foreign policies.
(Although Condoleezza Rice spoke explicitly in the context of September 11, 2001 and the war that followed, you can write your response in the context of either a. or b.)
Events in Bosnia and elsewhere in the Balkans during the first 18 months of the Clinton administration; OR
The events of September 11 and their consequences since that time.
3. It is widely argued that the Korean War was the decisive event that shaped the Cold War and conditioned America's rise to globalism. Explain and discuss this argument in the context of the conditions that preceded the war, as well as the events that followed it.
4. Single out any region of the world and examine and discuss the development of U.S. policies during a ten-year period of your choice. Your discussion should discuss these policies in terms of the interests they sought, the capabilities they used, and the results they achieved.
2001
1. Out of the following secretaries of state, choose one who played an especially significant and lasting role in the formulation and implementation of the nation's foreign policy since World War II: Dean Acheson; John Foster Dulles; Dean Rusk; Henry Kissinger; Cyrus Vance; George Shultz; James Baker; or Madeline Albright. Select, discuss, and assess the issue or issues (crises or negotiations) that best illustrate his/her outlook and policies while in office. Review and discuss the role in the context of his/her relationship with the President and (if warranted) other members of the Cabinet. Compare his/her effectiveness to some of the other postwar secretaries.
2. Review briefly the conditions that caused the Cold War. Next, with your review serving as background, spend equal time to reflect about the conditions that brought the Cold War to an end. How will historians judge the war and its outcome? Who, if anyone, are they most likely to blame, and who, if anyone, are they most likely to praise?
3. "The Cold War was remarkably stable and predictable." Explain this statement with a general assessment of U.S.-Soviet relations during the Cold War. Next, discuss it with a review of two crises that challenge the perception of Cold War stability and predictability. Conclude with your own views about the nature of the Cold War as history.
4. Compare the Korean War and the Vietnam War - why and how they were waged, and how they ended and with what consequences. Did either, or both, of these wars affect the Gulf War, and if so, how?
2000
1. It is commonly argued that the U.S. experience in the Vietnam War "shattered the consensus" on foreign policy. Examine the validity of this view in terms of what preceded and what followed the war. With the benefit of hindsight, review and explain the significance or impact you attribute to the war.
2. Review the evolution of U.S. foreign policies in any one region of the world and for any ten-year period of your choice during the second half of the twentieth century (1950-2000). Justify your choices for both the period and the region, and be sure to examine both changes and continuities relative to earlier years and in the context of the period you choose.
3. Choose two postwar U.S. presidents. Single out the issue or the crisis that best characterizes his years at the White House. Explain your choice of the issue/crisis relative to the balance of his presidency, and discuss the effectiveness and consequences (short term and long term) of his decisions and actions.
4. It has become increasingly common to argue that the Korean War was the decisive event that shaped the Cold War and conditioned America's rise to globalism. Explain and discuss this argument. If you are in general agreement, how do you assess both the circumstances that preceded, and resulted from, the war? If you disagree, how do you view instead the evolution of U.S. policies and U.S.-Soviet relations in the 1950s?
1999
1. Explain, analyze, and discuss the following statement: "Nobody and no state wanted the Cold War. No one and no single issue caused it. No one won it, and no state gained from it."
2. Review, analyze, and discuss patterns of cooperation and discord between the United States and a country (other than the Soviet Union) or a region of your choice during a ten-year period of your choice. In your introduction, please be sure to explain the significance of the period selected, as well as the nature and scope of U.S. interests toward that region or country. In your discussion, be sure to include specific events or policies and their significance.
3. Compare and explain the effects on U.S. foreign policies of America's involvement in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORY
2004
1. To what extent do institutions matter?
2. Many observers believe that the United States has emerged as largely hegemonic after the Cold War. Draw on the tools in your theory bag to answer this question. To what extent do you think it can maintain that position?
3. Game theory has gained much attention in the past two decades.
To what extent is the Prisoner's Dilemma useful in understanding world politics?
What is the concept of the "shadow of the future?" To what extent does it inform us about the potential for cooperation in world politics?
4. Theoretical debates are intense in the area of International Relations Theory.
Which theoretical school would you subscribe to and why do you think it is more useful than the others?
To what extent is neorealism's focus on the systemic level useful as opposed to obscuring key elements of world politics?
2003
1. Institutions have become the focus of much research in International Studies.
What functions do institutions perform?
If a neo-institutionalist told you that the development of international institutions could enhance prospects for cooperation in the Middle East, how would you respond?
2. Alternative theories have gained some ground in IR theory in the past two decades.
What are some of the central criticisms leveled by alternative theorists against realism/neorealism?
Do you believe the alternative theories add significantly to our ability to understand International Relations, up and beyond the more central schools of theory?
3. The rise of the United States in the post-Cold War period id a defining feature of world politics.
Some scholars believe that the United States is facing limited balancing behavior by other states. How might we explain this outcome, if we assume that it is accurate?
What would a neorealist say about the view of these scholars (mentioned above)?
4. Do institutions matter in world politics? To what extent can they temper, lessen, or control the consequences of quasi-anarchy?
2002
1. Most IR theorists view the international system as anarchic or quasi-anarchic. However, they often differ in their interpretation of what this implies for world politics. Draw on IR theory and concepts to address one of the following two questions.
To what extent can the consequences of anarchy be tempered, controlled, or lessened in world politics?
What are the chief obstacles to cooperation under anarchy?
2. Neorealism has gained much prominence in the field of IR theory since it was formulated by Kenneth Waltz in 1979. Please answer both a. and b. below.
What is the theory of neorealism? To what extent can neorealism explain the end of the Cold War and the dynamics of the post-Cold War period?
What are the weaknesses of the theory? Draw on various theories and concepts to challenge neorealism as a theory.
3. Game theory is sometimes used to try to improve our understanding of world politics.
What do game theorists take into consideration when attempting to use game theory for such purposes? What assumptions do they make?
What is the concept of the shadow of the future? What does it tell us about the potential for cooperation in world politics? Do you believe that institutions lengthen the shadow of the future?
4. The field of international studies is littered with various, interesting economic, political, and strategic theories and concepts of change.
Which of these do you find most useful in explaining change in world politics? Which are least useful? Why?
Drawing on these theories and concepts, how would you explain the end of the Cold War?
2001
1. What is anarchy? What are its consequences and to what extent do you think anarchy can be tempered, controlled, or lessened in world affairs?
2. Do regimes matter in world affairs? Would you recommend to leaders that they spend precious resources developing regimes in various areas of world affairs, or would you tend to argue that regimes are "window dressing", the product of romantic minds, or at best only temporary checks on quasi-anarchy?
3. International institutions have proliferated since the turn of the century and especially since World War II. While they clearly play a role in world affairs, scholars are debating the extent of that role.
To what extent do you believe that international institutions matter?
Identify one international institution. Explain how it works and explore the extent to which the institution can get states to do something that they otherwise would not do.
2000
1. In their classic book, Power and Interdependence, Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye develop the theoretical model of complex interdependence. Discuss the critical aspects of this model. How does it differ from the realist approach? What is the relationship between power and interdependence? Illustrate this relationship by drawing on readings, lecture, and events in world politics of your choosing.
2. What is game theory? What do game theorists assume? What factors must they take into consideration in order to develop a game theoretical model of reality? To what extent do you believe game theory is useful? Please draw on both lecture and readings to answer this question.
3. The Stag Hunt and Prisoner Dilemma games are well known in game theory. Choose one of these games and explain its basic elements. What does the game tell us about the difficulty that might arise when we try to extend the shadow of the future?
4. Cite two means by which the shadow of the future can be extended. Are you optimistic about the potential for enhancing cooperation by extending the shadow?
1999
1. Most theorists of world affairs accept the notion that the structure of world affairs is quasi-anarchy or anarchy. Indeed, much of subsequent theory and hypothesis development is related to analysis of quasi-anarchy and its consequences.
Define the term "regime". To what extent to you believe that international regimes can temper, lessen, or control anarchy? Draw on lecture and readings to answer this question.
What are the most significant consequences of anarchy? Include a discussion of the security dilemma theory. Draw on lecture and readings to answer this question.
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INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
2004
1. Over the past few years the United States has maintained low interest rates, increased government spending and decreased taxes. Such expansionary policies have been implemented in an attempt to stimulate output/production/GDP and prevent any economic slowdowns. Over the course of the next year, however, interest rates will start climbing.
a. Explain the link between interest rates and the exchange rate. That is, if interest rates rise - will the U.S. dollar appreciate or depreciate and why?
b. Suppose the U.S. was interested in maintaining the current value of the dollar despite the market pressure described in (a.) What specific policy action can the U.S. take to achieve this goal?
c. Given that the U.S. would like to continue to prevent economic slowdowns (recessions) would you expect the U.S to intervene in the foreign exchange market or allow it to float freely? Use the IS/LM/FE model to support you answer.
2. Relative to the world market, the United States is a small producer and importer of softwood lumber.
a. Using a demand-supply graph of the U.S. lumber market, illustrate and explain the effect of an import tariff on the price of U.S. lumber, levels of domestic production and consumption, and domestic social welfare.
b. How do the effects of an import quota compare to those of an import tariff?
c. Some labor unions argue that free trade is harmful to the United States and the use of protectionist trade policies (such as lumber tariffs) is the best way to protect domestic jobs. Is this argument economically valid? Explain.
d. Would the use of protectionist trade policies be justified if they were implemented as anti-dumping measures? Explain.
3. China maintains a fixed exchange rate of 8.3 Chinese Yuan per U.S. dollar. A number of OECD nations claim the yuan is currently undervalued by 50% and this artificially low price of yuan has had adverse effects on the international economy. As a result, China has been under increasing pressure to abandon their fixed rate and allow the yuan to appreciate on the world market.
Explain the potential benefits to China of maintaining a fixed exchange rate.
Suppose China were to succumb to international pressures to float their currency or, at least, to allow the price of yuan to rise. With the aid of an IS/LM/FE graph, explain how this change in exchange rate policy is supposed to benefit other nations.
4. Relative to the world market, the United States is a small producer and importer of sugar.
Using a demand-supply graph of the U.S. market for sugar, illustrate and explain the effects of an import tariff on U.S. sugar prices, levels of production and consumption, and domestic welfare.
Some Democratic candidates argue that free trade is harmful to the United States and the use of protectionist trade policies (such as sugar tariffs) is the best way to protect domestic sugar producers from foreign competition. Is this argument economically valid?
Would the use of protectionist trade policies be justified if they were implemented to protect against the outsourcing or exportation of American jobs? Explain.
2003
1. For several years China has maintained a fixed exchange rate of 8.3 Chinese yuan per U.S. dollar. Recently this policy has come under attack. Critics argue that this artificially low price of Chinese yuan has had adverse effects on the international economy. As a result, China has been under pressure to abandon their policy and allow their currency to appreciate relative to the dollar.
Explain the (potential) benefits for China of maintaining the fixed price of their currency.
Suppose China were to succumb to international pressures to float their currency or, at least, to allow the price of yuan to rise. With the aid of an IS/LM/FE graph, explain how this change in exchange rate policy is supposed to benefit other nations.
2. Relative to the world market, the United States is a small producer and importer of catfish. Although the U.S. is usually a strong supporter of free trade, it has recently considered using restrictive trade policy to protect local catfish farmers from foreign competition. The claim is that intervention is necessary because catfish is being dumped on the U.S. market. Assuming this claim is correct, should the U.S. impose anti-dumping tariffs? Explain and justify your position.
3. In terms of relative factor endowments, developed nations tend to be capital abundant while underdeveloped nations tend to be labor abundant. In the context of the Heckscher-Ohlin (H-O) model of trade:
Describe the motivation for and resulting pattern of trade between these two types of nations.
Explain and demonstrate graphically that international trade is beneficial to both developed and underdeveloped nations.
There is concern that nations' increased involvement in international trade is the primary cause of the growing income gap between capital owners and (unskilled) workers. Use the H-O model to explain the logic of this argument.
Does the argument in part (c) justify the use of protectionist trade policies? Explain why or why not.
4. A country presently has a floating exchange rate. Its government is considering pegging the exchange rate value of its currency to another nation's currency. You have been hired as an advisor to the country's government. Suggest three major criteria for deciding whether the country should choose to fix their exchange rate or to continue to allow their currency to float on the market. Describe the circumstances under which each regime (fixed or floating) would be the most appropriate and why. be sure to carefully explain the economic justification for each part of your answer.
2002
1. Consider the following excerpt from a recent issue of The Economist: "After a decade in which the peso was fixed by law at parity with the U.S. dollar, Argentina had no choice but to devalue and then float the currency. ...So how did it all end so badly? For some economists the answer starts with the currency board itself... The rigidity of fixed exchange rate regimes makes it difficult for nations to respond to external shocks. Just prior to the policy change, Argentina was hit by four such shocks: Prices of Argentina's commodities stopped rising, the cost of capital for emerging economies began to go up, the dollar appreciated against other currencies; and Brazil, Argentina's main trading partner, devalued."
With the support of the IS/LM/FE model of the macroeconomy, carefully explain why the policy of a fixed exchange rate, as opposed to a floating exchange rate, could have contributed to the collapse of the Argentine economy. That is, explain how Argentina could have been better 'insulated' from external shocks under a system of floating exchange rates.
2. In terms of relative factor endowments, industrialized nations tend to be capital abundant and developing nations tend to be labor abundant. In the context of the Heckscher-Ohlin (H-O) model of trade
Describe the motivation for and resulting pattern of trade between these two types of nations.
Explain and demonstrate graphically that international trade is beneficial to both developing and industrialized nations.
The recent backlash against globalization and increased trade liberalization is motivated, in part, by the growing income gap between capital owners and (unskilled) workers in the industrialized world. The claim is that trade between industrialized and developing nations has caused the increase in income inequality. Use the H-O model to explain the logic of this argument.
Does the argument in part (c) justify the use of protectionist trade policies? Explain why or why not.
3. Earlier this month, Alan Greenspan announced that his top priority is the prevention of a recession in the United States. As such, the Federal Reserve Bank has once again used expansionary monetary policy to decrease interest rates. Some claim, however, that this drop in interest rates will result in a depreciation of the U.S. dollar. In the context of the IS/LM/FE model of the macroeconomy:
Explain how a decrease in U.S. interest rates can lead to a depreciation of the dollar.
Given Greenspan's "top priority", would you expect the Federal Reserve Bank to permit the depreciation of the dollar or tointervene in the foreign exchange market to prevent the depreciation? Clearly explain and support your answer.
Would you expect the members of the G8 group of large, industrialized countries to support this recent change in U.S. policy? Explain.
4. Relative to the world market, Greece is a small producer and importer of food. Although the country is usually a strong supporter of free trade, it has recently proposed using restrictive trade policy to protect local farmers from foreign competition. The government claims that intervention is necessary because domestic food production provides external social benefits such as the stabilization of rural communities and the preservation of cultural traditions.
Assuming that food production does in fact provide Greece with external social benefits, briefly discuss the economic justification for the government's proposal. That is, identify the existing problem and the goal of government policy in this case.
With the aid of a graph, demonstrate and explain why it would be preferable for Greece to use some form of domestic policy rather than protectionist trade policy to address the problem in the agricultural market.
2001
1. The combination of reduced investment in Information Technology and the overall slowdown of the United States and Japanese economies will drastically reduce spending on exports from emerging Asian economies. There is little threat, however, that this economic downturn will bring about another currency crisis in such countries. The main reason is that since the last crisis, most emerging Asian economies have abandoned their policy of fixed exchange rates and now allow their currencies to float freely on the world market. With the support of the IS/LM/FE model of the macroeconomy, explain why nations are better insulated from the effects of foreign recessions under a floating exchange rate regime than under a fixed exchange rate regime.
2. In terms of relative factor endowments, industrialized nations tend to be capital abundant and developing nations tend to be labor abundant. In the context of the Heckscher-Ohlin (H-O) model of trade
Describe the motivation for and resulting pattern of trade between these two types of nations.
Explain and demonstrate graphically that international trade is beneficial to both developing and industrialized nations.
The recent backlash against globalization and increased trade liberalization is motivated, in part, by the growing income gap between capital owners and (unskilled) workers in the industrialized world. The claim is that trade between industrialized and developing nations has caused the increase in income inequality. Use the H-O model to explain the logic of this argument.
Does the argument in (2) justify the use of protectionist trade policies? Explain why or why not.
3. Consider the following excerpt from a recent issue of The Economist: "After the terrorist attack in September, the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank were quick to cut nominal interest rates to add liquidity. In Japan, where the economy is entering its second decade of stagnation, the rescue effort was less ambitious, aiming mainly at holding down the yen. Yet even that is a formidable challenge. A rising yen is the last thing Japan needs. ...An appreciating currency might be the final blow to its fragile economy. ...On September 11th the yen spiked up by more than 2% against the dollar. That led the Bank of Japan and the Ministry of Finance to intervene in the currency markets. Since September 11th, they have sold more than 3 trillion ($25 billion), hoping to keep the yen above 120 to the U.S. dollar."
With the aid of the IS/LM/FE model, clearly explain:
How Japan's refusal to lower interest rates after September 11th led to an appreciation of the yen,
Why an appreciating yen "might be the final blow to its fragile economy", and,
How the Bank of Japan's use of direct intervention in the foreign exchange market (the sale of $25 billion on the foreign exchange market) may "soften the blow" to Japan's economy.
4. China has been admitted into the World Trade Organization. A significant increase in trade between the U.S. and China is expected. Consider also that China is classified as a labor-abundant nation, while the United States is a capital-abundant nation. In the context of the Heckscher-Ohlin (H-O) model of trade, explain and demonstrate graphically how China's acceptance into the WTO will affect:
The levels of consumption in each nation,
The levels of production in each nation,
The levels of national income (welfare) in each nation, and,
The distribution of income between workers and capital owners within each nation. (No graph is required for this explanation.)
2000
1. One of the major consequences of adopting a fixed exchange rate is that a nation loses its ability to use monetary policy to influence national income (GDP). Demonstrate that, under a system of a fixed exchange rate, a nation's level of GDP is unaffected by changes in the nation's money supply. You may use either the aggregate demand aggregate supply model (AD/AS) or the Keynesian Open-Economy Macro Model (also called the IS/LM/FE or IS/LM/BP model) to answer this question. Whichever you choose, be sure to explain the relationship between the relevant economic variables.
2. Malaysia and China can each produce two goods: computer software and clothing. The production of software is capital intensive and the production of clothing is labor intensive. Suppose that Malaysia is relatively capital abundant and China is relatively labor abundant. According to the Hecksher-Ohlin theory of international trade:
What is the motivation for trade between the two nations?
Describe the resulting pattern of trade (i.e., which nation imports clothing, which imports software). Demonstrate these results graphically.
One argument against the World Trade Organization's (WTO) promotion of free trade is that international trade has a negative effect on the distribution of income within nations. Within the context of this example, which individuals would most likely oppose the WTO's promotion of increased trade liberalization? (Be sure to distinguish between the short-run and long-run effects on income.)
Supporters of the WTO claim that despite the effects on income distribution, free trade is beneficial. Explain this argument.
3. The basic motivation for international trade is that product prices differ across nations. Choosing one theory from international trade:
Explain how these price differences arise,
Describe the resulting pattern of trade between two nations, and
Explain and demonstrate graphically that international trade is beneficial to nations.
(To keep things simple assume the world consists of only two countries: Home and Foreign, and only two goods are produced: food and computers.)
4. New Zealand is considering fixing the value of their currency, the kiwi, to the value of the Australian dollar. Suppose you were hired as an economic advisor to the government of New Zealand. Suggest three major criteria for deciding whether New Zealand should fix the value of the kiwi to that of the Australian dollar or to continue to let the value of the kiwi float on the market. Carefully explain the significance of your criteria, in terms of the potential impact on the New Zealand economy. Be sure to justify your arguments with the support of a graph or through explicit references to economic theory.
1999
1. Although there has been much improvement over the last year, several of the Southeast Asian economies are still in the midst of a recession. Some policymakers believe that Japan should lower their interest rate in an attempt to improve the situation. In general the effect of this policy on the Japanese economy depends on whether we employ the asset approach (or portfolio balance approach) to examine the short-run impact, or the monetary approach (using PPP) to examine the long-run impact.
Under each of the two approaches, describe the effect of an increase in the Japanese money supply on the value of the yen (the yen/foreign currency exchange rate).
How does your answer relate to the concept of exchange rate overshooting?
Do you think Japan should pursue this course of action? Provide a brief explanation.
2. Consider a world in which there are two nations, Home and Foreign, and two goods, food and manufactures. The production of food is labor intensive and the production of manufactures is capital intensive. At present the nations are not engaged in trade and each nation produces and consumes both goods. According to the Hecksher-Ohlin theory of international trade:
What is the motivation for international trade?
Describe the resulting pattern of trade between the two nations (i.e., how does trade affect production and consumption levels in each nation?).
Demonstrate graphically that international trade benefits both nations.
How will international trade affect the distribution of income (i.e., the income of workers and capital owners) within each nation? Be sure to distinguish between the short-run and the long-run effects.
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TRANSNATIONAL RELATIONS
2004
1. To what extent are transnational threats on the rise in a significant way?
2. To what extent, and how, does interdependence decrease conflict?
3. In what measure can transnational actors affect the behavior of states in world politics?
4. Realism and neo-realism assume that little changes about the fundamentals of world politics, that continuity prevails over time. Drawing on your knowledge of the transnational-interdependence field, to what extent would you agree or disagree.
5. Have global interdependence and transnationalism made cooperation easier or harder to achieve in world politics?
2001
1. What are the key sources of power in world politics? To what extent have they changed?
2. Realists assume a state-centric, anarchic realm of world politics. To what extent does your knowledge of the literature on interdependence and transnationalism lead you to view this assumption as misleading?
2000
1. National security is evolving from a militarily defined doctrine into a multidimensional concept which may potentially include such things as food. Choose one of the following essays. In your answer, make specific references to past and present examples and project your thoughts into the future.
What is food security? Why is it likely to become more important to relationships among states in the 21st century? What is likely to happen to food security if multinational and international organizations (unions of states) become increasingly important actors relative to "nation-states" on the world scene?
OR
What is food security? Why is it likely to become more important to relationships among states in the 21st century? What is likely to happen to food security if multinational corporations become increasingly important actors relative to "nation-states" on the world scene?
2. Briefly summarize the main points of the Dual Labor Market Theory of international migration. What is the key difference between the Dual Labor Market Theory and micro-level theories of international migration, such as the New Economics of Migration? Using the Dual Labor Market Theory, explain why the United States, despite its economic, political, and military power, has difficulties in controlling its border, namely, illegal migration from Mexico and other developing countries.
3. In 1999, the natural increase rate of population in the less developed countries (LDCs) was 17 times that in the more developed countries (MDCs). Not surprisingly, many policy makers and scholars have blamed the rapid population growth in LDCs for their underdevelopment, poverty, and many other socioeconomic problems. Is such a blame justifiable and why and why not? What is your assessment of the likely roles of population growth in the future socioeconomic development in the LDCs?
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POLITICAL ECONOMY
2004
1. Modernization theorists and dependency theorists offer vastly different explanations for conditions in developing countries. Discuss (a) the points of agreement and divergence between dependency and modernization theories; and (b) what role each theory attributes to international organizations. Support your response by drawing upon the experience of a country or region that you know well.
2. Hegemonic Stability theorists argue that only a hegemon can provide the various public goods that are the foundation of an open international economic order-a convertible currency, enforceable tariff limits, and liquidity during global financial crises. Is hegemony necessary for global free trade? Would declining hegemony likely result in greater protectionism?
3. During the recent past, most countries in the developing world have adopted neo-liberal, market-oriented economic reforms. Describe these reforms in detail. What explains this convergence in policy reform? What are the differential impacts of such reforms on domestic groups?
4. Although Realism is a theoretical approach more typically applied to security affairs, its proponents claim that it is equally useful in explaining global political economy. Evaluate the extent to which Realism represents an effective theoretical construct for understanding the contemporary global political economy.
2003
1. International economic institutions are continually gaining power and authority at the expense of national and local governments. Describe how the increased power and authority of international economic institutions both enhances and impedes the prospects for genuine democracy in the world. Be sure to provide evidence to support your position.
2. When first introduced, Dependency Theory challenged traditional approaches to the study of development and developing countries. Today, however, many critics charge that Dependency Theory is out of date and fails to effectively explain contemporary economic and social conditions in the developing world. Do you agree or disagree with this critique? Explain. Be sure to support your position by drawing upon the experience of a country or region in the developing world which you know well.
3. The expansion of free trade and the movement of people and ideas around the globe has been a hallmark of the liberal agenda for international relations. yet, globalization has generated significant and vocal opposition. Please assess the liberal and anti-globalization positions with regard to one of the following issues:
Development
The status of women
Human rights
The environment
4. Does economic integration make the state stronger or weaker?
2002
1. Define globalization. What are the most significant indicators or measures of globalization? In what ways does globalization impact the sovereignty of nation states?
2. Modernization and dependency theories have long been the major paradigms for explaining conditions in the developing world. Describe and critique these theories. Be sure to outline the major strengths and weaknesses of each perspective.
3. It is frequently argued that we are living in an era of globalization. Define globalization. Is the contemporary era fundamentally distinct or unique from previous periods? Explain. Do you feel the process of globalization contributes to the intensification or amelioration of inequalities between and within countries? Explain.
4. Prepare an essay describing the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement. "Grand theoretical approaches to the study of development (e.g. Modernization and Dependency theories) are of little use for understanding contemporary socio-economic conditions in the developing world. Scholars should proceed with more historically-specific and context-specific studies."
2001
1. Prepare an essay describing the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement. "The contemporary era of globalization calls into question the dominant theoretical approach (e.g., realism) to the study of international relations."
2. Prepare an essay describing the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement. "Grand theoretical approaches to the study of development (e.g., modernization and dependency) are of little use for understanding contemporary socio-economic conditions in the Global South. Scholars should proceed with more historically-specific and context-specific studies."
3. There is little consensus regarding the relationship between globalization and democracy. Some scholars contend globalization increases the prospects for extending and strengthening democracy in the world while others suggest globalization undermines democracy. Describe and evaluate the arguments presented on both sides of this debate. Which argument is stronger?
4. Prepare an essay describing the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement. "Past theories of development have been far too narrow. To fully understand and appreciate the complexities of the development process we should adopt an eclectic approach which incorporates elements from various theoretical perspectives."
2000
1. The appropriate mix between the roles of the state and the market is one critical area of controversy surrounding democracy. Some argue that democracy requires a free market economic system with minimal state intervention in economic activity. Others argue that democracy requires at least a mixed economy. Given this controversy, write an essay explaining how economic liberalization that has unfolded since the early 1980s has impacted the scope of democracy.
2. There are claims that globalization has significantly altered development theory. Supporting your arguments with evidence from a country or a region of your choice, explain why you agree or disagree with this contention.
3. It is frequently argued that we are living in an era of globalization. Define globalization. Is the contemporary era fundamentally distinct or unique from previous periods? Explain. Do you feel the process of globalization contributes to the intensification or amelioration of inequalities between and within countries? Explain.
4. How has the idea or definition of "development" evolved over time? Drawing upon the experience of a region in the developing world which you know best, outline the role which the state (government) and civil society (non-governmental organizations) have played in either promoting or impeding "development".
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CONFLICT AND COOPERATION
2004
1. Is the failure of the United Nations Security Council to reach agreement on the disarmament of Iraq an exceptional event or does it signal the decline of collective security institutions?
2. For a region of your choice, discuss the extent to which non-regional actors shape the regional security environment and evaluate their impact upon the stability/instability of the region.
3. "The historical record of collective security is poor." What evidence supports this statement and how useful is this evidence for thinking about collective security arrangements in the post-9/11 international security environment?
4. "The nuclear non-proliferation regime has failed to prevent proliferation to those states that pose the biggest threats to international security." Agree or disagree with this statement, explain your reasoning, and suggest, as appropriate, improvements or alternatives to the regime.
2003
1. There are three approaches in dealing with proliferation problems: Non-proliferation, defense, and pre-emption. Under what circumstances are each of these preferable?
2. During the 1990s the international community appeared to be relying progressively more on collective security. What made this trend possible and what had led to its apparent reversal?
2001
1. Reflect upon the concept of collective security and the historical experience that shaped our perception of the concept's future today. Your answer should demonstrate historical and theoretical familiarity with the concept as well as your judgment upon the future of collective security arrangements.
2. The end of the Cold War shifted the focus of international security to ballistic missile defense and nuclear proliferation. How are these two issues linked and what is the extent to which you believe this linkage is justified?
3. For a region of your choice:
Explain, in general terms, how states within the region manage their security relationships. Your answer must include both theoretical and practical considerations, as well as references to relevant literatures.
Explain the role(s) of two major regional actors in shaping the security environment for the region. Your answer must include both theoretical and practical considerations, as well as references to relevant literatures.
2000
1. Agree or disagree with either a. or b.: Since the end of the Cold War in 1990, traditional concepts of security have been challenged. What has been the nature of these challenges?
The concept of collective security serves as a useful guide for efforts to create security between states.
Realist approaches to security no longer effectively explain salient security problems.
2. Answer either a. or b.: International politics after the Cold War has rekindled hopes of a broader, more inclusive, understanding of what security is and whom it is for. In light of the rather narrow definition of security during the Cold War, do you believe that
a. the time has come to promote alternative approaches to security? If you agree, review alternatives to realism/neorealism with a special, but not exclusive, focus on the concept and practicality of collective security. If you disagree, explain the need and desirability for maintaining traditional approaches.
b. theories and practices of deterrence and arms control need to be reevaluated in order to make them suitable instruments for security in the post-Cold War world? If you agree, provide examples of deterrence and arms control reevaluation. If you disagree, explain the continued relevance of deterrence and arms control.
1999
1. Recent developments in arms control suggest that a fundamental reassessment of its utility in shaping the international security environment has taken place: START II is stalled in the Russian parliament making further negotiations to reduce nuclear arsenals unlikely; the U.S. Senate has rejected the CTBT questioning American commitment to non-proliferation; the United States is intent on creating a limited defense capability against ballistic missile attacks potentially challenging the offense-defense relationship upon which decades of deterrence were based.
Is there a role for arms control in the post-Cold War security environment? If yes, what might that role be? If not, are there other security arrangements that may provide stability?
Why does arms control no longer appear to be the pressing issue it used to be? With specific reference to one of the major Players (U.S. or Russia) explain why arms control appears to have lost its erstwhile prominence.
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COMPARATIVE POLITICS
2004
1. Both Rational-Choice and Political Culture theories are considered prominent approaches in comparative sociopolitical studies. What are the major differences between these two approaches in terms of their intellectual geneses, theoretical assumptions, and major arguments (or hypotheses)? What criticism has each of these approaches drawn? What comments do you have on the criticism?
2. Both the former USSR (now Russia) and China introduced socioeconomic reforms during the 1980s. Describe major differences between the two countries in their reform strategies and results. Then, explain sociopolitical factors causing such differences.
3. Both Rational-Choice and Political-Culture theories are considered prominent approaches in comparative sociopolitical studies. Which of these approaches is more likely to be useful for policy makers thinking about democracy and democratization?
4. The following three analytical themes have been frequently tackled in comparative sociopolitical studies. Select one of them and explain and comment on what you see as the most effective theoretical approach to it.
Sociopolitical change and revolution
Political movements and participation
Development and modernization
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