Navigating a Politics Essay: Guidance and Strategies
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In the section "Research-based Courses", we speak to a student who is currently working on a paper for a Human Rights class. The student's focus has evolved to tailoring the argument to parts of the world where human rights are not fully respected, and in this case, they are delving into China's human rights record and how it justifies its actions on the international stage.
The student's journey began with a lecture on China's One Belt, One Road Initiative, which provided a thematic understanding of cultural and political developments in China over the last ten years. This knowledge has proven to be a unique source type for the paper.
During the brainstorming and planning process, the student exchanged emails, met with their preceptor, and talked with friends and classmates. Now, they are radiantly moving from the known to the unknown, drawing first from sources they have in their possession already, then from those that they have yet to discover.
The writing of the paper will come later, near the end of the process. In the meantime, the student will be reviewing class notes, pulling out information on the Chinese government, recent Chinese history, and more this weekend.
In an interview with Writing Center Fellow Johanne Kjaersgaard '22, we discuss research resources for writing a paper on this topic. Johanne provides valuable advice on writing a history research paper and a philosophy paper for non-philosophy majors.
When approaching a paper on human rights violations focusing on the Chinese government's record, it is crucial to begin by clearly defining the scope and key themes such as political repression, treatment of detainees, freedom of expression, ethnic and religious minority rights, and international law obligations.
The paper should contextualize China's human rights situation within global standards, explaining why this topic is critical. An overview of documented abuses should be provided, referencing reports from authoritative bodies like the United Nations, human rights organizations, and credible news sources.
The structure of the paper should cover key areas, including the legal and political framework, specific human rights abuses, ethnic and religious minority issues, civil society and protests, and international response and China's stance.
Throughout, clarity and critical analysis should be emphasized, linking specific abuses to broader systemic issues within China’s political system and human rights environment. The approach ensures thorough, credible, and well-structured coverage of the complex topic.
As the student delves deeper into their research, they hope to shed light on China's human rights record and contribute to the ongoing discourse on this critical issue.
- The student's pursuit of understanding China's human rights record is facilitated by exploring various research resources, such as class notes, emails, meetings with the preceptor, and credible news sources, to ensure a thorough, credible, and well-structured coverage for their education-and-self-development in the field of human rights, supporting their personal-growth and learning.
- In their research, the student aims to delve into resources like reports from the United Nations, human rights organizations, and academic literature to contextualize China's human rights situation within global standards, focusing on topics like political repression, freedom of expression, ethnic and religious minority rights, and international law obligations, for the purpose of contributing to the ongoing discourse on this critical issue in the realm of education-and-self-development and personal-growth.
