For the module ‘Empire and Conflict in World Politics’
Essay Guidelines/Advice
1) The introduction should be minimal (given word-count constraints), with an argument summary and roadmap of how that argument is going to be delivered (and occasionally an engagement with the terms of the question). This may also include some minimal, concise reference to the contending scholarly positions and how you fit into these debates/areas of contention. A good introduction should look a little like, and serve the same purpose as, an abstract in an academic article (with the addition of a roadmap). The conclusion should also revisit and summarise the argument in a succinct form and not produce new evidence or themes. Unless these neatly encapsulate the argument in a concise way, or you choose to make policy recommendations, or recommendations for further research, both of which are perfectly acceptable in a conclusion.
2) Pay special attention to the delivery of an (evidenced) argument. The argument should emerge out of engagement with the contending positions in the literature on the question or theme, demonstrating how you are positioned in relation to debates and contention over the question or theme. Make sure you are answering the question.
3) Be very careful about the planning of the essay and therefore about its structure and organisation, especially as this pertains to argument. In fact, argument and structure tend to reinforce each other in a virtuous circle. The argument is like the spine/central thread of the essay which acts as its inclusion/exclusion engine. Good structure also comes with regular signposting in relation to the argument and its progression/development (especially as you move between sections). Essays quite often take some variant of the form: thesis/antithesis/synthesis as they engage with and develop an argument out of contending positions.
4) In most cases, an early core section of an essay should include a theoretical and or conceptual engagement, defining key terms/concepts and/or laying out the theoretical framework you intend to utilise.
5) Try to balance argument, theory, analysis, and evidence, although there may be some trade off here between the relative weight of theory and evidence, dependent on whether the essay is engaging the title/question in a more theoretical or more empirical way. Do not engage in a polemic that lacks supporting evidence. Evidence can come in the form of (supporting and/or illustrative) reference to empirical examples or cases as these pertain to contexts, actors, institutions, processes, dynamics etc. These examples and cases can evidently be drawn from the essential, recommended and/or additional readings (or elsewhere if relevant).
6) Ensure that you produce good coverage of relevant themes and literature, drawing on the essential and recommended readings and, if useful, the additional third-tier sources. You can, of course, draw on literature from outside of the course, but unless this is needed for empirical examples or cases, it should be supplementary to the essential readings.
7) Take careful note of the essay guidelines and instructions (e.g. word-count regulations, referencing style etc.). These are stated on the Moodle page. I recommend Harvard in-text citation. Other citation/referencing methods are fine, but essays must be consistent in their citation/referencing system.
I will attach a list of sources, as well as specific sources I think will be helpful, but you can use more if needed.
https://www-oxfordreference-com.lse.idm.oclc.org/display/10.1093/acref/9780191842665.001.0001/acref-9780191842665-e-0078?p=emailAI9zntkXn8hpU&d=/10.1093/acref/9780191842665.001.0001/acref-9780191842665-e-0078
Franz Fanon – ‘On Violence’