essay for political theory...again

[rioters bloc]

i actually needed to construct a question by today but since the server was down and my thread got deleted... <_< :P

anyways.

here goes&#33;

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hey losers&#33;


i wanna do a really kickass essay for this subject, so helps me out please i&#39;ve got another 2 - 3weeks to write it, i wanted to start researching from ages ago but i can&#39;t come up with a topic which is interesting, relevant, and hasn&#39;t already been done to death.

this is the subject description of the course:



Political theory concerns ideas about how human societies and states can be organised or disorganised through political activity. This subject explores the major traditions in western thought, which may be drawn from anarchism, liberalism, conservatism, socialism, fascism, and feminism. It will also consider non-western systems such as Confucianism and Islam. Particular theories and theorists will be used to consider major themes and debates in the political realm. These may be drawn from topics such as "democracy", "justice", "the state", and "liberty". Students will undertake analyses of real-world states and politics, in western and non-western societies.

these are the different topics we&#39;ve done/will do:



The idea of liberty – video.
Traditions in political thought: liberalism.
Traditions in political thought: Conservatism and the Neo-Cons.
Traditions in political thought: Socialist thinkers.
Traditions in political thought: Understanding fascism and left totalitarianism.
Traditions in political thought: government & civil society in Islam.
Exploring a theme: the formation of states, nations and communities.
The Liberal state and cultural and ethnic communities and rights
The Liberal state and Indigenous rights
Theorising political crises: war and terrorism.
Theorising political crises: genocide: the crime of state


these are questions that we&#39;ve been given, or we can make our own.



ESSAY QUESTIONS: POLITICAL THEORY.

1. How might political theory relate to political practice? Critically discuss with reference to one or more of the theoretical frameworks covered in this unit.
2. The idea of liberty is central to the ‘war on terror’ being waged by the ‘coalition of the willing’. What conception/s of liberty are being mobilized in this ‘war’. Would any alternative conception/s of liberty promote a different form of politics?
3. Is liberalism hostile to democracy? Critically discuss.
4. To what extent is neoliberalism a continuation of the liberal tradition?
5. Why is civil society and civic virtue so important to conservative thinkers? Do you agree or disagree with their arguments?
6. Critically examine the theoretical and policy implications of William Kristol’s arguments for a politics of liberty and sociology of virtue.
7. Can socialist ideas and values be defended in the C21st? Critically discuss.
8. Kymlicka argues that an individual’s access to their ‘societal culture’ is essential for individual freedom. What claims can be justified by this interest? Are these claims sufficient or, are there other claims that Indigenous peoples, ethnic and national minorities make on liberal democracy that ought to be justified?
9. To explain totalitarianism we need an overall model of the exercise of social and political power (ideological/cultural, economic, military and political). Drawing on the work of Hannah Arendt and other theorists of totalitarianism develop a case study in analysis of an example of a totalitarianism (eg; Nazi Germany, Maoist China, Stalinist Russia, Burma under the current military junta, North Korea currently, Cambodia under Pol Pot).
10. What tensions and contradictions exist in the political theory of Islam? Can these be resolved?
11. What is a nation-state? Critically discuss with reference to the work of theorists of state formation (and relevant others).
12. Are there any moral arguments for war and/or terrorism? Critically discuss with reference to current world conflict.
13. What do we mean by the term ‘genocide’? What does genocide mean for understanding of the state and the nation? Critically discuss with reference to examples.


i don&#39;t like any of them much so i want to make my own (although maybe i could subvert one of them to make it more interesting?). basically, they need to either discuss issues with reference to particular political ideologies, or do something to do with the state, individuals, the market, civil society, or relationships between any of them.

i was considering doing something on the gendered nation state and also why such a large proportion of terrorists are female, compared to state institutions such as the military - thereby either contradicting the argument that men are more violent, aggressive, and warlike, or being an analysis of the differences between &#39;war&#39; and &#39;terrorism&#39; (if there is any )..

i&#39;d like to either do something to do with gender, or ethnicity... and preferably not something just rehashing marxism or anarchism or whatever

any suggestions?

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anyways, i told my tutor that i&#39;m doing something on terrorism and gender but need help creating a question that will allow me to explore interesting issues indepth.

[Severian]

Originally posted by rioters [email protected] 23, 2006 09:33 am
i was considering doing something on the gendered nation state and also why such a large proportion of terrorists are female, compared to state institutions such as the military - thereby either contradicting the argument that men are more violent, aggressive, and warlike, or being an analysis of the differences between &#39;war&#39; and &#39;terrorism&#39; (if there is any )..
If you&#39;re going to do that you might ask, among other things: why do most states not send large numbers of women into combat? Or conversely, why have a few done so?

There&#39;s two major historical exceptions I know of: WWII USSR and 17th century Dahomey. There&#39;s a book called "War and Gender" that argues they did so because they were under heavy pressure to maximize their fighting power. Though some states - the Third Reich for example - wouldn&#39;t do so under any amount of pressure.

Apparently it&#39;s dangerous to the stability of many social orders to have large numbers of women trained to kill.....

Guerilla armies, as well as terrorist groups, have often included many women. So the differences between war and terrorism may not have anything to do with it.

[rioters bloc]

i&#39;m calling it "the hand that cradles the rock"

MY IDEA. GO AWAY CDL

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

That&#39;s a very interesting topic (gender and war). Please let us see what comes out of your research.

[rioters bloc]

shut up&#33;&#33;&#33; :P get your own ideas&#33;

[apathy maybe]

Personally I would have done one of the questions that you had been given.

For example

"3. Is liberalism hostile to democracy? Critically discuss."
Explain what democracy is.

Explain what liberalism is.

Talk about the classic clash between the rights of the people and the rights of the individual.

"7. Can socialist ideas and values be defended in the C21st? Critically discuss."
Explain what socialism is (you&#39;re biased, you can do it). Explain what troubles &#39;socialism&#39; had in the C20th. Explain how because of inequalities in wealth and power, there have been very few countries that could even lay claim to being truly socialist. Explain how the ideas and ideals of socialism are needed more today then ever before (what with 6.5 billion people and rising, rapid degradation of the environment etc.).

Explain how the question should read, &#39;can capitalist ideas and values be defended in the C21st&#39;, especially with all the obvious problems that capitalism has caused.

What is the alternative to capitalism? Why socialism.