This is a 2 part assignment. In Part 1 you will research internationalist response and motives, and then in Part 2 write a paragraph stating your position.

The assignment is worth 20 marks (15 for your position response and 5 for your planning chart)

In this challenge you need to research an issue to investigate the level of international response. Choose an international issue from the list below to begin your research. Familiarize yourself with the background about the issue and determine the international response to it. Focus your research on the level of response by one nation. Remember that the decision to not become involved in the issue is a form of response. For example: France chose not to be part of the coalition of international forces during the Iraq invasion in 2007. Your research should focus on the possible motives for the nation’s choice about the level of their involvement or non-involvement in the issue.

Remember that internationalism is a means for nations and/or states to work cooperatively while still representing their own differing national interests.

In response to certain international issues, a country may choose either:

• Involvement: to get involved,
or
• Non-involvement: not to get involved.

The reasons for involvement or non-involvement in certain international issues are based on motives of national interest:

• Economic Stability
• Self-Determination
• Peace
• Security
• Humanitarianism

The chart below gives examples of some contemporary international issues and the motives for involvement or non-involvement:

Issue Nature of Involvement Possible Reasons for Involvement Possible Reasons for Non-Involvement
Global Warming (Climate Change) • Pollution control
• Alternative energy sources (solar, wind, thermal) • Security: a healthy environment is safer for humans and life on Earth in general
• Economic: in the long run alternative energy will be required when fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal) run out • Economic: too expensive
• Security: non-belief in global warming
Terrorism in Afghanistan • Military intervention
• Reconstruction of schools, roads, economy, etc.
• Training of Afghan police and military

• Peace and Security: destroy terrorists before they can get us; make country safe for Afghans
• Humanitarian: make life better for Afghans
• Economic: bring Afghans out of poverty
• Self-determination: independent Afghans not ruled by authoritarian Taliban • Humanitarian: not our problem, the rest of the world can fend for itself
• Peace and Security: not a threat to our security
• Economic: costs too much; we should help ourselves first
• Self-determination: let them fight it out amongst themselves
Disaster Relief • Aid: food, clothing, shelter, medical assistance, reconstruction • Humanitarian: help fellow humans in time of need
• Economic: countries that need help are too poor to help themselves • Humanitarian: not our problem; the rest of the world can fend for itself
• Economic: costs too much; we should help ourselves first
PART 1
Pick one of the following international issues to research on the internet:
• Disease control
• Drug and/or arms trafficking
• Natural resource depletion and distribution: renewable and nonrenewable resources and who gets them
• Globalization
• Children’s rights and/or women’s rights
• Working conditions: sweat shops, slavery, fair wages
• Terrorism: Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups
• Israel and the Middle East: Palestinians, Lebanon
• International aid: disaster relief ex: Hurricane Katrina
• Conflict intervention: Afghanistan
Fill out the following chart on the issue you have researched:

Motives for Involvement and Non-Involvementin an International Issue
On the issue of:
Nature of Involvement:
•
My position about whether or not the following country(ies) were involved or not involved in the issue with the following motivations: *put into chart below – e.g.; Japan: Security – terrorism must be stopped
Country(ies) Involved and Motivations
• Country(ies) Non-Involved and Motivations
•
The main evidence for my position are:
•
Reasons why others might disagree with my position are:
•

PART 2
Write a position paragraph which states clearly your perspective on the level of involvement for the country that you have researched. Consider that countries motives for their level of involvement in the issue and the level of response that was taken. Make sure you state what the issue was, your own position on the involvement or non-involvement for the country and include supporting evidence for your position. Your paragraph should clearly indicate how the country was involved.
For example: Canada offered the U.S.A. emergency personnel to help deal with the effects of Hurricane Katrina.
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Scoring Criteria:
Position Paragraph Explanations and Support 10 marks
When marking Explanations and Support, markers should consider the
• quality of explanations
• selection and quality of support Communication 5 marks
When marking Communication, markers should consider the
• organization and coherence
• vocabulary (e.g. specificity and accuracy)
• sentence construction (e.g. clarity, completeness)
• grammar and mechanics (e.g. consistency of
• tense, punctuation, spelling, capitalization)
Excellent
E Explanations are thorough and comprehensive revealing a perceptive understanding. Support is specific and accurate and errors, if present, do not detract from the response. Mark=10 The writing is fluent and effectively organized. Vocabulary is precise and effective. The writing demonstrates confident control of sentence construction, grammar, and mechanics. The occurrence of error is rare. Mark=5
Proficient
Pf Explanations are appropriate and purposeful revealing a clear understanding. Support is relevant and appropriate, but may contain some minor errors. Mark=8 The writing is clearly organized. Vocabulary is accurate and appropriate. The writing frequently demonstrates effective control of sentence construction, grammar and mechanics. The occurrence of error is infrequent. Mark=4
Satisfactory
S Explanations are general and straightforward revealing an acceptable understanding. Support is relevant but general, may be incompletely developed, and/or contains errors. Mark=6 The writing is generally clear and functionally organized. Vocabulary is generally accurate, but not specific. The writing demonstrates basic control of sentence construction, grammar, and mechanics. Errors do not seriously interfere with communication. Mark=3
Limited
L Explanations are over generalized and/or redundant revealing a confused, though discernable, understanding. Support is superficial, may not always be relevant, and may contain significant errors. Mark=4 The writing is uneven and incomplete but is discernibly organized. Vocabulary is imprecise and/or inappropriate. The writing demonstrates faltering control of sentence construction, grammar, and mechanics. Errors hinder communication. Mark=2
Poor
P Explanations are tangential or minimal revealing a negligible understanding. Support, if present, is incomplete, may be marginally relevant, and contains significant and/or frequent errors. Mark=2 The writing is unclear and disorganized. Vocabulary is ineffective and frequently incorrect. A lack of control of sentence construction, grammar, and mechanics is demonstrated. Errors impede communication. Mark=1
Mark = /15