Economics IR Book

For Monday:

1. Decide what book you will be reading for IR
2. Bring in a physical copy of the book (as I will give you time to read in class)

Below is a copy of the list of books I handed out in class (with some modifications). If you want audio copies of the book, I suggest you go to audible.com

Economics IR Book Suggestions

POVERTY AND CLASS
Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickeled and Dimed. (AUDIO)
LeBlanc, Adrian Nicole. Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx
Lipper, Joanna. Growing Up Fast.
Emmins, Alan. 31 Days: A New York Street Diary
Venkatesh, Sudhir. Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets
Daniels, Cora. Ghettonation: A Journey Into the Land of Bling and Home of the Shameless
Newman, Katherine S. and Chen, Victor Tan. The Missing Class: Portraits of the Near Poor in America
Danaher, Kevin, and Biggs, Shannon, et al. Building the Green Economy: Success Stories from the Grassroots

U.S. ECONOMY
Draut, Tamara. Strapped: Why America's 20- and 30-Somethings Can't Get Ahead
Kamenetz, Anya. Generation Debt
Clark, Taylor. Starbucked: A Double Tall Tale of Caffeine, Commerce, and Culture
Moore, Michael. Downsize This!
Lewis, Michael. Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
Raviv, Dan. Comic Wars: Marvel’s Battle for Survival
Elizabeth Moore, Anne. Unmarketable: Brandalism, Copyfighting, Mocketing, and the Erosion of Integrity
Capparell, Stephanie. The Real Pepsi Challenge: How One Pioneering Company Broke Color Barriers in 1940s
Hirshberg, Gary. Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World
Frankel, Alex. Punching In: The Unauthorized Adventures of a Front-Line Employee
Lewis, Michael. Next: The Future Just Happened (AUDIO)
Lewis, Michael. Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street
Szasz, Andrew. Shopping Our Way to Safety: How We Changed from Protecting the Environment to Protecting Ourselves


THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
Mason, Matt. The Pirate's Dilemma: How Youth Culture Is Reinventing Capitalism
Rivoli, Pietra. The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy
Thomas, Dana. Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster (on the fashion industry)
Burr, Chandler. The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris and New York
Perkins, John. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
Fishman, Charles. The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and How It's Transforming the American Economy (AUDIO)
Yunus, Muhammad. Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty (AUDIO)
Klein, Naomi. The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism (AUDIO)
Collier, Paul. The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It
Barlow, Maude. Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water
Chapman, Peter. Bananas!: How The United Fruit Company Shaped the World
Vaitheeswaran, Vijay and Carson, Iain. ZOOM: The Global Race to Fuel the Car of the Future
Kynge, James. China Shakes the World: A Titan's Rise and Troubled Future -- and the Challenge for America
Clissold, Tim. Mr. China: A Memoir
Easterly, William. The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill
Durning, Alan. How Much Is Enough?: The Consumer Society and the Future of the Earth

HUMAN BEHAVIOR
Schwartz, Barry. The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less
Ariely, Dan. Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions (AUDIO)
Levitt, Steven D. and Dubner, Stephen J. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (AUDIO)
Wheelan, Charles. Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science
Harford, Tim. The Undercover Economist: Exposing Why the Rich Are Rich, the Poor Are Poor--and Why You Can Never Buy a Decent Used Car! (AUDIO)
Harford, Tim. The Logic of Life: The Rational Economics of an Irrational World (AUDIO)
Gladwell, Malcolm. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
Surowiecki, James. The Wisdom of Crowds (AUDIO)
Lewis, Hunter. Are the Rich Necessary?: Great Economic Arguments and How They Reflect Our Personal Values

IMMIGRATION
Castaneda, Jorge G. Ex Mex: From Migrants to Immigrants
Rivera, Geraldo. His Panic: Why Americans Fear Hispanics in the U.S.
Chomsky, Aviva. "They Take Our Jobs!" and 20 Other Myths about Immigration
Koser, Khalid. International Migration: A Very Short Introduction

WAR ON DRUGS
Schlosser, Eric. Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market (AUDIO)

Gray, Mike. Drug Crazy : How We Got into This Mess and How We Can Get Out
Streatfeild, Dominic. Cocaine: An Unauthorized Biography
Baum, Dan. Smoke and Mirrors: The War on Drugs and the Politics of Failure

FOOD INDUSTRY
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation. (AUDIO)
Shiva, Vandana. Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply
Smith, Alisa and Mackinnon, J.B. Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally
Kingsolver, Barbara. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
Wynn, Jennifer. Inside Rikers: Stories from the World's Largest Penal Colony
Parenti, Christian. Lockdown America: Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis.
Dyer, Michael. The Perpetual Prisoner Machine: How America Profits from Crime
Humes, Edward. No Matter How Loud I Shout: A Year in the Life of Juvenile Court
Davis, Angela Y. Are Prisons Obsolete?

Iraq Essay / Letter

For this Friday( 2/29), write a persuasive response to the following question:

What should we do about Iraq?

Your response must:

• Be either in essay form or in the form of a letter to President Bush

• Be at least 400 words long

• Correctly incorporate at least 10 vocabulary terms from the Iraq packet (listed below)

• Underline or bold the 10 vocabulary terms you use in your response

• Be turned in by Friday (2/29)

Note: If you choose to write a letter, you can bring in an additional copy in an addressed envelope and we will mail it for you for extra credit.

Iraq Terms

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD): chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons

Arab - the majority ethnicity in Iraq and most Middle Eastern countries

Kurds – an important minority ethnic group living mostly in Northern Iraq, which has been trying to win independence for many years.

Sunni – the minority Muslim sect in Iraq, which held powerful positions under Saddam

Shi’a – the majority Muslim sect in Iraq, which was oppressed under Saddam but now makes up the most powerful group in the government

Occupation – invasion and control of a nation by foreign armed forces

Pan-Arabism – the movement to unite Arab countries and fight against Western control

Ba’ath Party – the nationalist party that ruled Iraq from the 1960s until 2003

The West – Europe and the Americas

Iran-Iraq War – War during the 1980s where the US armed both sides in secret

Coup – a sudden takeover of power

Sanctions – when nations limit trade with a country in order to punish it

Regime Change – Replacing the government of a country. This was the main U.S. goal during the 2003 invasion of Iraq

Sovereignty – A country’s right to make its own laws and policies

Infrastructure - the basic facilities and services needed for a society to function normally (transportation, communication, education, sanitation, security, etc.)

Contractor – a company hired to provide a service (often construction)

Abu Ghraib – the prison facility where the US military was found to be torturing and abusing Iraqi detainees

Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) – the U.S. military government established in Iraq after the 2003 invasion

Interim Government – a temporary or transitional government

Ethnic Cleansing – the forced removal of an entire ethnic or religious group from an area

Sectarian Divisions – conflicts between different sects or groups

Militia – a body of citizens organized into a paramilitary group

Insurgents – rebels or those who resist a government with force

Diplomacy – relations or negotiations between nations

Dissent – to publicly disagree with one’s government or a majority opinion

Green Zone – the main US military base in Baghdad

Destabilized – upset or chaotic

Nationalists – those who fight for national independence in a country under foreign domination.

Bureaucrats – unelected officials who help carry out government functions

Secular – non-religious

Mandate – when a country is given control of another country

Immunity – being exempt from laws or punishment

Civil Society

Rogue State

Ideological

Proliferation

Imperialist

Partition

Fundamentalist

Democratization

Multilateral

Factions

Fundamentalist

Reprisals

Extra Credit #3: McCain Scandal Article

I hope you are all enjoying your vacations and the long overdue snow we have here in NY (for those of you lucky enough to still be here). If you're like me, the fact that we finally get a real snowstorm when we're already on a vacation either means that 1)there is no god 2) God has a cruel sense of humor or 3) God hates snowdays.

Either way, I'm not thrilled.

At any rate, the real reason I'm writing is to give you another extra credit assignment, one so steamy it just might melt all this snow. Some of you may have already heard, but earlier this week the New York Times broke a story about John McCain that suggested he had an affair with a lobbyist. McCain has forcefully denied these claims, and now many people are wondering whether the Times should have published the story.

So, my assignment for you is to:

1) Read the article that sparked the controversy

2) Tell me what you think in a 2 paragraph response. In the first paragraph, summarize some of the main points of the article. In the second paragraph, address some of the following questions:

• Did the Times have enough evidence to publish such a potentially damaging story?
• What kind of sources did they use in the article?
  
• Should we be skeptical of such sources? Why or why not?
  
• Was this responsible journalism?
• Is this just a case of the "liberal" New York Times attacking the conservative candidate?
  
• Do you think McCain did what the article claims he did?
• How could the timing of this story help or hurt McCain?

Extra Credit #2: Maureen Dowd on the Clinton Campaign

This next article might provide an interesting response to the NOW piece. It is by New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, who is generally considered rather liberal. It was cited in the NOW piece, but it is worth reading in full as it provides a different analysis of the Clinton campaign.

Again, if you want to receive credit on this, you can read the article and turn in a response chart by Friday after break.

Extra Credit: Sexism and the Election

If you are looking for extra credit, check here regularly, as I will be posting different assignments that you can choose to do.

Many of them will be like this one, which asks you to read an article and complete a response chart.

This first article is from the National Organization of Women (NOW) and discusses the way in which the media has displayed ingrained sexism in their discussion of Hillary Clinton's campaign.

If you want to receive credit on this, you can read the article and turn in a response chart by Friday after break.

Iraq Policy Presentations

Project Overview

Your Assignment: Your group has been called upon to appear before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Your assignment is to persuade the committee members that your assigned option should be the basis for U.S. policy in Iraq. You will be judged on how well you present your option.

Organizing Your Group: Each member of your group will choose one of the following roles. Below is a brief explanation of the responsibilities of each role.


1. Foreign Policy Advisor: Your job is to explain why your group’s option best addresses the foreign policy challenges presented by the war in Iraq.


2. Iraq Specialist: Your job is to explain why your option best serves Iraqis.


3. Military Expert: Your job is to explain why your group’s option best addresses the military challenges in Iraq.


4. Domestic Policy Advisor: Your job is to explain why your group’s option best addresses the domestic policy challenges presented by the war in Iraq.

Preparing Your Presentation

Due Wednesday (2/13):

1. Finish reading through your group's Policy Option. (Click here to download the policy handout)

2. Define all assigned vocabulary words for your option.

3. Question 1 on Presentation Worksheet. (Click here to download the worksheet)



Due Thursday (2/14):

1. Questions 2-4 on Presentation Worksheet

2. Be ready to present with your group to the class.

NOTE: Each member of the group should be prepared to present the key parts of their option related to their area of expertise

Making Your Case

After your preparations are completed, your group will deliver a 5-7 minute presentation to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Worksheets and notes may be used, but speakers should speak clearly and convincingly. Each member of the group should be present the key parts of their policy option related to their area of expertise.

NOTE: Feel free to enhance your presentation with visuals such as images, charts, or powerpoint, but it is not required.

During the presentations of other options, you should try to identify their weak points.

After each presentation, there will be a short question and answer period. Any member of your group may respond during the cross-examination period.

Key Terms: Iraq Policy Options

Directions: Members of each group are responsible for developing a firm understanding of all the terms associated with your policy option.

OPTION 1: INCREASE OUR PRESENCE IN IRAQ
• Civil Society
• Rogue State
• Ideological
• Proliferation

OPTION 2: PROVIDE IRAQIS WITH THE MEANS TO SUCCEED
• Imperialist
• Partition
• Fundamentalist
• Democratization

OPTION 3: WITHDRAW FROM IRAQ NOW
• Multilateral
• Factions
• Fundamentalist
• Reprisals

Iraq Terms

Hello class,

I'm writing to remind you which terms you need to define for tomorrow. Here is the list:

• Infrastructure
• Contractor
• Coalition Provisional Authority
• Militia
• Insurgents
• Green Zone
• Destabilized
• Secular
• Immunity

Think of me kindly as you complete them.

All the best,

Your Devoted and Humble Teacher

Iraq Unit Schedule

Here is the schedule of assignments for the next week as we work through this unit on Iraq.

Due Tuesday Feb 5th: Iraq Maps Packet


Due Wednesday Feb. 6:

• Read pp. 1-5 of the Iraq packet.
• Fill in any terms that you come across in the reading on the Term Sheet.
• Answer A Brief History questions 1-5
  

Due Friday Feb. 8th:

• Read pp. 5-12 of the Iraq packet.
• Fill in any terms that you come across in the reading on the Term Sheet
• Answer Early History questions 1-7
• Answer Life Under Saddam Hussein questions 1-6
• Answer The First Persian Gulf War questions 1-4

Due Monday Feb. 11th:

• Read pp. 13-26 of the Iraq packet.
• Fill in any terms that you come across in the reading on the Term Sheet
• Answer Regime Change questions 1-6.
• Fill out the Iraq Challenges organizer. Be sure to have at least 2 different challenges under each category (political, economic, social)