How do mechanisms beyond voting facilitate citizen participation in democratic processes while addressing the intersection of minority rights with majority rule in a democratic society

In this final paper, you will be developing your own research question about “democracy” that arises for you through the unit.  You will use:

• 2-3 of our class readings from Unit #3; 
• at least 1 reading from Weeks 1-2
• one concept from an academic encyclopedia;
• the included videos in the Unit;
• the lectures offered throughout the semester;
• and your notes from our class discussions

You develop and pose a question that you are left with after the end of the unit and explore potential answers to it through our resources and discussions. 

Directions

1. 1. Return to your Brainstorming assignment and the feedback I provided.
      • Introduction
        • Introduce the specific topic and research question for this paper. 
        • Discuss how you arrived at this topic and question.  What is your personal interest in this question?  Why should others be interested in this question as well?    
        • Briefly mention the sources you will be using, and preview how they help you answer the question in the remainder of the Paper.
        • Briefly mention your general answers/theses/responses to your posed question. 
      • In-class Resources Discussion

• • • • Discuss how the 3-4 sources from our class start answering the question.  You can also include our class discussions and your general notes.

• • • External Resource Discussion 

• • • • Briefly discuss the meaning of the concept you have selected from the Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyLinks to an external site. as described in the entry.  
      • How does it help shed light on your research question? 
        • How does this concept relate to the 3-4 class sources you included? Does this concept expand on the in-class resources you selected? Or is it offering a completely different approach?

• • • Conclusion

• • • • Briefly review your main findings or thoughts.
      • What questions do you still have?  

• • • Works Cited or Bibliography

• • • • List the sources you discuss in this paper, including the 3-4 in-class sources, your notes, and Encyclopedia entry 

Tips

• Imagine you are at a party, where the thinkers we read and discussed are in attendance; everyone is hanging out and talking.  Choose 2-3 people we read or heard from and ask them the research question you develop – how would they respond to it?     
• Choose the texts and thinkers based on your personal curiosity – who do you want to talk to more?  Think about more?
• When in doubt, go for depth, over breadth: include fewer texts, authors, or themes than you might initially think.
• Balance between your own thoughts and ideas, and the thoughts and ideas of your chosen authors and texts.  If you were having a live conversation with these writers and thinkers, is everyone getting a somewhat-equal say?  Or is someone dominating the conversation? 
• Use your notes from your own original reading, our live class discussions, and the lectures throughout the semester.

Rubric

• A successful final paper:
  • is between 1500-2000 words long, double-spaced, 12 pt., Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins. 
  • uses Author-Date reference format for sources you cite in-text (for example, Szczurek 2020)
    • cites to back up assertions or claims (for example, “By oppressing stateless refugees, European nation-states in the 1930s laid the foundations for totalitarian governments.  (Arendt 1952)”)
  • incorporate most or all of the above Directions and Tips.
  • directly discusses and cites 2-3 texts/videos from Unit #3, at least 1 reading from Weeks 1-2, and includes at least two direct quotations from each of these sources
  • directly discusses and cites from one entry from the Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyLinks to an external site.  
  • has an introductory paragraph that previews who the paper will discuss and your initial answer(s) to the question
  • has a concluding paragraph that includes 2-4 questions you are still left with about this topic and question. 
  • incorporates feedback you received on your Unit 1 and 2 Responses. 
  • incorporates feedback given on the Brainstorming assignment.  
  • is clearly edited, with few typos or grammatical errors.