Recent orders

What type of system exists today and how old is it

What type of system exists today and how old is it

What type of system exists today, and how old is it? A discussion on the contemporary world order in terms of structures, actors, and interaction.
If we assign a date or time-frame for the existence of a phenomenon, this will in itself affect what it is we say exists. For instance, if we claim that Europe existed 3000 years ago, we are probably not talking of culture or even politics but merely geography. Similarly, but with a reverse logic, if we believe that particular features of contemporary international relations (e.g. the speed and quantity of transnational communications and interactions, or capitalism and market economy) matter more than some other aspects (e.g. the formal division of the world in separate and sovereign states) this affects when we would say the current order began.

In the book International Systems in World History, Barry Buzan and Richard Little suggest that in order to periodise (separate in time) different international systems, one must pay attention to the type of unit that dominates. On this notion, they present their own periodization (see page 394 where they compare their suggestion with those of other scholars) of international systems. According to them, the latest primary turning point in world history, from an IR-perspective, is ca. 1500 AD.

You may of course believe that unit-change is important and still come up with other dates. Let us say that you believe that the development of the welfare state and industrial states or democracies, are of decisive importance and select the late 19th or early 20th century as the latest turning point. Perhaps the development of modern nationalism and ideological political movements make you pick 1789 and the French Revolution as the beginnings of the contemporary system. Maybe the de-colonization process of the 1950s and 1960s marks the start. Perhaps it isn’t change of units that is of primary importance at all.

A neorealist could, based on ideas of polarity, say that the latest turning point is the end of the Cold War when the system switched from a bi-polar to a uni- or multipolar structure. Others would mention globalization and post-industrial society, etc.

Think through the following questions:

What is, in your mind, the most important aspects of the contemporary international system, and how long has this order existed? Argue for your answer in theoretical terms, utilizing Buzan and Little’s toolbox.

Prepare to discuss your answer at the first seminar. —————————————————

Literature

•Buzan, Barry & Little, Richard. 2000. International Systems in World History: Remaking the Study of International Relations.Oxford: Oxford University Press.

•Ringmar, Erik. History of International Relations: A Non-European Perspective. 2019. Free to download: https://www.openbookpublishers.com/product/228

Romechia Simms was charged with manslaughter and child abuse in the death of her 3-year-old son

Romechia Simms was charged with manslaughter and child abuse in the death of her 3-year-old son

Romechia Simms was charged with manslaughter and child abuse in the death of her 3-year-old son.  They were found in a playground in LaPlata, Maryland one morning in May, 2015.  She was pushing his dead body in a swing; he had died of hypothermia and dehydration as she pushed him in the swing for 40 hours, even in the rain.  She has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (Brown & Nirappil, 2015).

Please answer ALL questions, and write concisely and to the point.  Use the correct terms for the key concepts, as taught on the PPTs.  Please use a standard word processing package (e.g., Word, PDF) and double-space your answers.  Please label your answers with the letters and numbers for the questions (1, 2A, and 2B).

  1. Imagine you’re her defense attorney. Name three principles of procedural justice in a retributive or utilitarian system of justice (not the general principles of any fair process – trustworthy motives, neutrality/impartiality, public participation, and dignity and respect), and explain how you would do your job in keeping with each of those principles of the retributive (or utilitarian) justice process.  Describe how you would put each of them into practice as her defense attorney – specify exactly what you would do to implement each principle.  Do NOT use “society takes responsibility for responding to violations of the social contract” or “Victim’s role is to assist the justice system’s response to the offender, not to control the process.” (15 points each for a total of 45 points).
  2. Now imagine you’re the prosecutor, and she’s just been convicted. In this question you need to apply the principles of distributive justice under the retributive and utilitarian models. You should not apply the general principles of any fair outcome; in other words, don’t write about equity, equality, and need.  And don’t worry about Maryland sentencing laws; you’re applying the theories in a hypothetical justice system.
  3. If you wanted the court to take a retributive approach to distributive justice, what sentence would you ask for and what principles would you offer to justify it? Be specific about the sentence you would request. Note that this is not about your opinion on what would be a fair and reasonable outcome, this is about what would be a retributive outcome.  (25 points).
  4. If you wanted the court to take a utilitarian approach to distributive justice, what sentences would you ask for to achieve each of the three methods of crime prevention under the utilitarian model? For each, name the method of crime prevention and state what sentence you would ask for and how that sentence could prevent crime. Be specific about the sentences you would request, and show that you understand what each method of crime prevention is about.  Note that this is not about your opinion on what would be fair and reasonable outcomes, this is about what would be utilitarian outcomes. (10 points each for a total of 30 points).

Brown, D., & Nirappil, F. (2015, December 3).  Bail posted in son’s death.  The Washington Post, pp. B1, B4.

Sample Answer Format

  1. Procedural justice
  • Principle of . . . As her defense attorney, I would implement this principle by . . .
  • Principle of . . . As her defense attorney, I would implement this principle by . . .
  • Principle of . . . As her defense attorney, I would implement this principle by . . .

2. Distributive justice

  • Retributive approach: As the prosecutor, I would ask for a sentence of . . . This sentence would be justified in a retributive system on the principles of
  • Utilitarian approach: As the prosecutor, I would ask for a sentence to achieve crime prevention through:
  • The . . . method of crime prevention: I would ask the court to sentence her to . . . because . . .
  • The . . . method of crime prevention: I would ask the court to sentence her to . . . because . . .
  • The . . . method of crime prevention: I would ask the court to sentence her to . . . because . . .

Retributive and Utilitarian Models of Justice

Retributive and Utilitarian Models of Justice

Romechia Simms was charged with manslaughter and child abuse in the death of her 3-year-old son.  They were found in a playground in LaPlata, Maryland one morning in May, 2015.  She was pushing his dead body in a swing; he had died of hypothermia and dehydration as she pushed him in the swing for 40 hours, even in the rain.  She has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (Brown & Nirappil, 2015).

Please answer ALL questions, and write concisely and to the point.  Use the correct terms for the key concepts, as taught on the PPTs.  Please use a standard word processing package (e.g., Word, PDF) and double-space your answers.  Please label your answers with the letters and numbers for the questions (1, 2A, and 2B).

  1. Imagine you’re her defense attorney. Name three principles of procedural justice in a retributive or utilitarian system of justice (not the general principles of any fair process – trustworthy motives, neutrality/impartiality, public participation, and dignity and respect), and explain how you would do your job in keeping with each of those principles of the retributive (or utilitarian) justice process.  Describe how you would put each of them into practice as her defense attorney – specify exactly what you would do to implement each principle.  Do NOT use “society takes responsibility for responding to violations of the social contract” or “Victim’s role is to assist the justice system’s response to the offender, not to control the process.” (15 points each for a total of 45 points).
  2. Now imagine you’re the prosecutor, and she’s just been convicted. In this question you need to apply the principles of distributive justice under the retributive and utilitarian models. You should not apply the general principles of any fair outcome; in other words, don’t write about equity, equality, and need.  And don’t worry about Maryland sentencing laws; you’re applying the theories in a hypothetical justice system.
  3. If you wanted the court to take a retributive approach to distributive justice, what sentence would you ask for and what principles would you offer to justify it? Be specific about the sentence you would request. Note that this is not about your opinion on what would be a fair and reasonable outcome, this is about what would be a retributive outcome.  (25 points).
  4. If you wanted the court to take a utilitarian approach to distributive justice, what sentences would you ask for to achieve each of the three methods of crime prevention under the utilitarian model? For each, name the method of crime prevention and state what sentence you would ask for and how that sentence could prevent crime. Be specific about the sentences you would request, and show that you understand what each method of crime prevention is about.  Note that this is not about your opinion on what would be fair and reasonable outcomes, this is about what would be utilitarian outcomes. (10 points each for a total of 30 points).

Brown, D., & Nirappil, F. (2015, December 3).  Bail posted in son’s death.  The Washington Post, pp. B1, B4.

Sample Answer Format

  1. Procedural justice
  • Principle of . . . As her defense attorney, I would implement this principle by . . .
  • Principle of . . . As her defense attorney, I would implement this principle by . . .
  • Principle of . . . As her defense attorney, I would implement this principle by . . .

2. Distributive justice

  • Retributive approach: As the prosecutor, I would ask for a sentence of . . . This sentence would be justified in a retributive system on the principles of
  • Utilitarian approach: As the prosecutor, I would ask for a sentence to achieve crime prevention through:
  • The . . . method of crime prevention: I would ask the court to sentence her to . . . because . . .
  • The . . . method of crime prevention: I would ask the court to sentence her to . . . because . . .
  • The . . . method of crime prevention: I would ask the court to sentence her to . . . because . . .