IRtemplate

IR Simulation

This simulation will be your final exam. In total, it will be worth 30% of your grade. Each week day of game play represents six months of real time.

You will be assigned a country. You will also be assigned one of three roles in that country: economic minister, foreign minister and defense minister.

As a team of three you will be required to produce joint three products: a national power inventory, a national foreign strategy statement and a national self assessment.

As individuals you will get points for how much you accomplish in your role.

These products combined with my evaluation of your individual contribution to the simulation will form your grade on the simulation.

Simulation grading:

National Power Assessment......................................15pts

National Foreign Policy Goals Statement...................30

National Foreign policy self assessment.....................25

My evaluation of your individual activity in the sim......30

Total........................................................................100

National Power Assessment scoring

What sources of Economic, Military or other Political Power are at your nation's disposal?
What problems or needs does your country have that might be furthered by International Relations?
What allies and enemies does your country have?

The answer to each question is worth a maximum of five points. I will be looking for signs that you have learned about your country and its position in the international system. I will also be looking for you to use the vocabulary and concepts in the course texts as follows

Chapters 3&5 of your Mingst.

Radical, Liberal and Realist lists of state capacity

Hard power
Soft power
Etc.
weaknesses

Radical, Liberal and Realist description of local and global connections:

IGO's involved with
NGO's based/present
MNC's based/present
Trade balance
Debt

Foreign policy Goals Statement scoring

What goals does your country have for foreign policy in the areas of

economics,
military and
diplomatic relations?

Of the Resources you identified in your Power Assessment which are can be used to further your goals?

Your primary goal is to stay in power. You will get opportunities to manipulate the international system to help you. In order to stay in power, you need a plan.

Develop a list of goals you will pursue in Foreign Policy over the six years. It should be a list that reflects the real needs of the country you play.

Each goal should be described:

the international outcome you want for your country
how each goal helps keep your party in electoral office and/or prevent internal revolution
what power resources you are willing to invest to achieve that goal.
some initial strategies you want to pursue for

here is an example for one fictional goal (hardly enough to stay in power).

goal

purpose

resources

strategies

increase foreign aid receipts by 10%

provide development funds for harbor in "Portsmouth"

diplomatic ties

trade ties

anti-terrorism aid

work with African Union

Work with European Trade partners

This statement is worth 20 points by itself. I will be grading it on:

how well does it capture what your country could reasonably try to achieve?
how much does it reflect your teams actual knowledge of your country and its international position?
how well are you working as a team?

It also represents the standards by which you will in part be judged. Meet more of your goals and get more points. Meet fewer of them and scored less well. Too narrow a set of goals and you will be remebered by your people (me) as weak. Too broad a set of goals sets you up for failure. Don't forget, circumstances outside of your control may provide you with an opportunity to score points.

It takes a two third majority to include something as a goal. It will take a 2/3 majority of your team to ratify an agreement with other nations.

Self Assessment

How did you do as a team? I want a narrative of at least four paragraphs where you discuss what went well and what went poorly for your country. You are trying to persuade your citizens (me) of your place in history.

Calendar

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Feb 23 Country and roles selected		National power assessments due		National goals statement due
Mar 2	Individual Goal statements due	Play begins
Mar 9
Mar 16				National Self Assessments due
Mar 23		Indivdual self assessments Due

Countries.

Countries played by teacher(s) & cronies

Please make sure to place a diplomatic title in email header.
These faculty are all busy don't flood them with emails.

US
Russia
China.
Iran
N. Korea
Israel
Iraq
Sudan
Cuba
Venezuela

They are not active players. They will respond to your initiatives and outreach to them.

Countries Taken as of May 30, 2007

country

Nigeria

Kenya

S. Africa

Japan

Colombia

Mexico

Brazil

Turkey

France

Spain

Germany

Canada

Malaysia

S. Korea

India

Resources

Country Foreign Policies

Country Studies

Each study offers a comprehensive description and analysis of the country or region's historical setting, geography, society, economy, political system, and foreign policy. Nice summaries of actual policy by your country.

CIA Factbook

Lots of facts and demographics.

On line search

If you type the phrase "my nation foreign poliy" (example: Nigerian Forign Policy" you will find some good links that describe the situation faced by your country in the world.