Questions and Topics We Can Help You To Answer

Paper:  discuss some fundamental value explored in the course that can be, has been, could be, or should be, shared, for better or worse, across various cultural boundaries.  Please do not construe this as an invitation to defend your own favorite value (principle, ideal, standard).  It should rather be understood as an opportunity to explore one or more of the values under discussion in this course that strikes you as a potential candidate for transnational, cross-cultural support.  

Value = something deemed of worth, merit, importance, desirability, even usefulness, such as a custom, practice, person, ideal, tradition, or possibility;

Boundaries (thinking of, say, Dreams of Trespass) = civilizational, religious, national, regional, urban, historical, political, ethnic, racial, class, financial, territorial, domestic, gender, sexual, generational, social, familial, educational, stylistic, military;

Fundamental values discussed in this course (among many other candidates) = individuality, self-interest, local knowledge, culture, public good, greed, nationalism, truthfulness, “deliberate belief,” wealth, self-narrative, love of country, craftsmanship, maintaining appearances, self-criticism, female subordination (to men), loyalty, serving others, historical understanding, “civilization,” patriarchy, women’s liberation, pleasure, equality, liberty, justice, learning from “others,” imagination, minority rights, human rights, humility, toleration, compromise, mourning, resistance to violence, testimony, empathy, communication, preventing crimes against humanity, becoming all that you can be.
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Structure of a ”Policy Brief”
1.    Executive summary
2.    Context and importance of the problem  
3.    Critique of policy option(s)
4.    Policy recommendations

1.  Executive summary
The executive summary aims to convince the reader that the brief is worth in-depth investigation.  It is especially important for an audience that is short of time to clearly see the relevance and importance of the brief in reading the summary.  As such, a 1-2 paragraph executive summary commonly includes: 
o    -  A description of the problem addressed; 
o    -  A statement on why the current approach/policy option needs to be changed; 
o    -  Your recommendations for action.  
2. Context and importance of the problem
The purpose of this element of the brief is to convince the target audience that a current and urgent problem exists which requires them to take action.  The context and importance of the problem is both the introductory and first building block of the brief.  This usually includes the following: 
o    -  A clear statement of the problem or issue in focus; 
o    -  A short overview of the root causes of the problem; 
o    -  A clear statement of the policy implications of the problem that clearly establishes the current importance and policy relevance of the issue. 
3.  Critique of policy option(s)
The aim of this element is to detail shortcomings of the current approach or options being implemented and, therefore, illustrate both the need for change and focus on where change needs to occur.  The critique of policy options usually includes the following: 
o    -  A short overview of the policy option(s) in focus; 
o    -  An argument illustrating why and how the current or proposed approach is failing.
4.  Policy recommendations
The aim of the policy recommendations element is to provide a detailed and convincing proposal of how the failings of the current policy approach need to be changed.  This is achieved by including; 
o    -  A breakdown of the specific practical steps or measures that need to be implemented; 
o    -  Sometimes also includes a closing paragraph re-emphasizing the importance of action.