An effort is made to acquaint students with topic selection, with relevant data sources, and with professional standards of analysis and exposition. Additional material is recommended for further reading. Several participants are expected each week to read this additional material and make oral presentations on it to the class. Oral presentations must be limited to 10 minutes, and must be based on a typed outline that is brought to the class in sufficient quantity for each member of the class to receive one. Presentations are expected to reflect selectivity of material for presentation.
Some critical assessment is looked for as well.
In view of the size and variability of the region, and in the interest of acquiring a background sufficient for research, students are advised to read more deeply on a selective basis. Most students are well advised to select one country for this purpose, as well as an aspect of its politics that is related to their functional specialization. Class participation Students are expected to be present for the meetings of the class and to participate in class discussion of required readings. In addition, each student is expected to make at least one oral presentation to the class based on a recommended reading. Approval is required to help assure that the topic selected is manageable within the length of the papers required, and researchable in terms of the availability of data.