AS/POLS 4120 6.0Fall/Winter 2011-12
Critical Perspectives on Political Leadership in Canada
Essay Proposal and Research Essay
There are two parts to this assignment, the essay proposal (due Feb. 10) and the final research essay (due Apr. 2). You begin by developing your topic in your essay proposal then (pending approval) you complete your research essay on that same topic.The research essay must be an argumentative essay with a thesis.
TOPICS
Students must choose their own topic based on the course theme of political leadership in Canada. However, all essay topics must be approved by the Course Director. Generally, students are expected to focus on one significant Canadian political leader. Or students may focus on an issue or theme and its relationship to different political leaders.
Possible Essay Topics:
1) For those prime ministers that have been the subject of major biographies, compare and analyze the treatment/assessment of that leader by different authors.
2) Analyze and assess the leadership of a significant political leader in dealing with a major crisis, issue or policy.
3) Analyze and assess the impact of a leader on the party system in Canada.
4) Analyze, compare and assess the leadership of two different political leaders in dealing with a major issue or policy.
Examples:
Macdonald, Laurier, Mulroney: protectionism or trade liberalization
Macdonald: the Métis Rebellions and Louis Riel
Laurier: Manitoba schools question
Laurier, Borden, King: Canada and the British Empire
Bennett: the Great Depression
Borden and King: conscription
Any of the postwar PMs: Canada and the United States
Any of the postwar PMs: the welfare state, social programs
Any of the postwar PMs: federal-provincial relations (Quebec nationalism, western alienation)
Pearson: flag debate, CPP, health care
Trudeau, Chrétien: Quebec referenda on sovereignty
Mulroney, Chrétien: public deficits and debts
Other issues that could be studied under the leadership of a given PM: economic policy, industrial policy, trade relations, inward foreign direct investment, regional development, foreign policy, military policy, immigration policy, citizenship, environment, women’s rights, public sector workers, public administration
ESSAY PROPOSAL
Purpose: The essay proposal is intended to assist students in developing and framing their research topic through some preliminary work. Completing a proposal ensures that students are provided with some early feedback on the direction of their work. Pending the approval of your essay proposal, you will develop that topic in the subsequent research essay. Please note that preparing an essay proposal requires time and effort. This time and effort will certainly assist you in completing the research essay.
Due: Feb 10. In some cases, students may be required to revise and re-submit their essay proposal. All students must complete a satisfactory essay proposal before they are allowed to submit their research essay.
Late penalties: Late essay proposals will receive a 10% penalty for the first day and 5% per day for each subsequent day, including Saturdays and Sundays.
Proposal Format:
Topic: You should provide an outline of your topic. Which leaders and issues are you proposing to study and why? What is the significance of this topic? What issues are at stake? Do you have a proposed hypothesis, potential arguments or tentative conclusions? This material will be very preliminary and you may wish to indicate areas of further research and analysis.
Preliminary sources: You should provide a brief bibliography of relevant academic sources. At this point, you must produce a list of at least 3 academic sources.
Length: The entire proposal should be single-spaced and a maximum of 2 pages.
RESEARCH ESSAY
Due: Apr. 2. According to the university, this is the last date to submit work for the term. Papers will not be accepted after this date.
Length: 15-20 double-spaced pages with standard margins and font, plus title page and references
Citing Sources: Sources must be referenced using in-text parenthetical citations. The corresponding reference list should be in alphabetical order at the end of the essay. Students must follow the format (for in-text, parenthetical or author-date citations) outlined in the Canadian Journal of Political Science style guide posted online at:
Essays that do not follow this style guide properly will be penalized by at least 10%. Larger problems with the citation of sources may result in a paper receiving a failing grade.