Essay Topics on Democracy, Citizenship, and Power

Instructions

You should either choose one of the questions from the list below, or if coming up with your own essay topic, consult with me before undertaking it. You are free to use as many sources as you want, but the minimum is two sources, one of which should be from the course materials (handouts and pans of the textbook distributed in class). I realize many of you will be using information you find online, but whatever kind of material you draw on should come from credible and verifiable sources. Academic journals and official news sources are always the safest bet. If you do use online articles or other kinds of information on the Internet, be sure to include a specific reference to the url in your footnotes. 

I. What is the status of democracy a global level? Would you say it is faring well these days, or that it still faces serious troubles and obstacles to overcome? Discuss with reference to at least two countries on two different continents. 

2. What is a state's most important responsibility to its citizens? Is it security or provisions for justice and equality? If it is a combination of these, what would you say could help us strike the right balance? 

3. Is Canada living up to its promise of multiculturalism as outlined in the Charter of Rights (1982) and the Multiculturalism Act (1985)? If it is falling short of its intentions, how can it do better to follow through on them? 

4. Identify a specific way in which power is exercised either directly or indirectly over subjects in modem society and explain how or why this could be considered unjust. Discuss with an extended example relating to a particular social group. 

5. Do we have the political tools and capacities needed to face the global challenges of our century? Choose a particular problem — such as climate change, economic inequality, increasing diversity in multiethnic societies, or the ongoing health crisis — and discuss. 

I. A clearly stated thesis - what you arc trying to demonstrate or prove 
2. Use of at least two sources from trustworthy, verifiable sources (c-books, journals, or official online news sources arc all acceptable) 
3. Argument to support your thesis - can be in point-form for the outline, to be developed into paragraphs for the final draft 
4. Definitions of your terms (e.g. if you write about 'justice,' explain what you mean by it) 
5. Transitions between supporting points 6. Proper citations done consistently according to style guide. whether MLA. APA or Chicago-style (guidelines for all these styles are found easily online with a quick web search if you're not already familiar with them) 
7. Relevant subject material: stick to the topic 
8. Organization and style: good construction of paragraphs. clear intro and conclusion (not ending suddenly but leaving some food for thought), mechanics (spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc.) 

9. Clarity and ability to show your understanding of the topic based on readings, class discussions, and your oval research  Thesis writing tip: 

• For the thesis to be clear and direct. make sure it is in the form of an argument. Don't simply say you will talk about or analyze the topic at hand. but tell me what you're going to maintain.

-In this essay. I will argue that the main reason for the failure of violent revolutions to secure democracy is that they disempower the people and put too much power in the hands of authoritarian leaders-