Syllabus PLS 221 Model United Nations Paige Tan UNCW

The United Nations (UN) is the globe's penultimate international organization. With an almost universal membership and bodies working in areas from security to crime to health and the environment, the UN is a player on most important global issues. In this course, we will learn about the United Nations, its history and role in global politics. We will study the structure of the UN system and focus on important organs such as the Security Council and the General Assembly. But, this course in Model United Nations goes beyond a book-learning approach to the UN. By participating in an intercollegiate Model United Nations simulation conference, students will be transformed into diplomats/government officials working inside an international body to achieve their goals.

Model United Nations is about simulating the speech making, resolution drafting, consensus building, interpersonal relations, and negotiations carried out everyday by real diplomats in New York, Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi, and around the world. In this course, students will learn to research a country's background, government, and foreign policy, along with a selection of United Nations issues like security, the environment, or economic development. They will learn the basic rules by which UN diplomats operate, and then put the knowledge they have gained into effect by trying to craft agreements to solve real-world, real-time issues at the conference.

As an integral part of the course, in November, we will travel as a class to the the Southern Regional Model United Nations (http://www.srmun.org) in Atlanta, Georgia. ALL ENROLLED STUDENTS MUST PARTICIPATE in the conference (more than 40% of the course grade stems from it). At the beginning of the course, students will be asked to sign a contract outlining that they understand that participation in the simulation conference is a vital part of this course. The cost of the trip is expected to be approximately $300 for registration (school and individual), hotel (it's a Hilton), and transportation (two vans, plus gas). Food and fun are additional.

Thinking in the field of education today is that students learn best when that learning is active. This course in Model United Nations is a strong example of active learning. Students will be expected to participate actively in class, apply what they are learning in class to real-world issues, carry out research into their countries and topics, and simulate the behavior of a real-world diplomat in a Model United Nations conference. In the course, students will develop knowledge of international politics and individual nations' foreign policies along with skills in critical analysis, public speaking, diplomacy, teamwork and interpersonal relations, research, citizenship, professional dress, and leadership.

Students, please note that you will get out of this course what you put into it, and much of the learning will be self-directed. You need to stretch yourself to learn more. We will also have an active learning contract that will allow students to indicate to the instructor that they understand that they are responsible for energetically pursuing their own learning.

Karen A. Mingst and Margaret P. Karns. The United Nations in the 21st Century (third edition). Boulder: Westview, 2007. (Amazon: $27). Referred to as Mingst and Karns in the course schedule.

United Nations. Basic Facts about the United Nations. New York: Department of Public Information, United Nations, 2004. (This can be purchased online at https://unp.un.org/catalogue.aspx as an Adobe pdf document for $12 or in hard copy form for $15. It would be advisable to have a copy you can reference at the conference, whether as pdf, print out, or bound volume). Referred to as Basic Facts in the course schedule.

Important, additional required readings, available via the internet or through the library’s e-Reserves, are listed in the course schedule. To access e-Reserves, go to the library homepage (http://library.uncwil.edu/), choose Reserves in the left column, choose the green Reserves button, choose Electronic Reserves and Reserves Pages, choose "Instructor" and type in "Tan," choose "PLS 221." Click on Accept. Look for the title of the reading and access. Sometimes you need to show a little creativity with the titles. I never know what title the library will give to the piece!

Further, students are encouraged to subscribe to the e-mail newsletter, UN WIre, produced by the United Nations Foundation. Go to http://www.unwire.org/ to sign up for this free service.

Students are required to read one quality international news source, such as the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, the BBC Worldservice, the Guardian (UK), or the Washington Post on a regular basis. In order to be an effective participant in an international simulation, students must inform themselves of what is going on in their country, in the United Nations, and in the world at large. Your knowledge of current world affairs will have an important effect on your grade in this course. Mark my words: you cannot be oblivious to world events and do well in this course.

Class Participation. In the old days, students were seen to be an empty vessel into which the professor poured his or her knowledge (more than likely, it was “his”—since it was the old days!). However, this old-model of education has come under severe challenge in recent years. Rote memorization is now seen to offer little to students. How often have you “crammed” for a test and then forgotten everything you learned within a few weeks?

The idea behind Model United Nations is that students learn better when that learning is active. Students are expected to attend class (with a maximum of one absence for the semester, not to include any part of the Model United Nations conference). They are expected to do homework assignments and participate in class discussions and simulations. Active class participation by all students has the advantage of helping to foster tolerance for divergent viewpoints and developing students’ abilities to formulate arguments in a well-reasoned manner. Students are expected to keep up with the course reading on each class day as assigned. Confident and informed class participation will, it is hoped, enable improved delegate performance in the Model United Nations conference. Class participation counts for 10% of the final course grade.

Group Presentations. In order to develop their research, teamwork, and public speaking skills, as well as to learn about some of the many issues that the United Nations works on (from refugees to human trafficking to indigenous persons), students will be grouped and assigned an issue on which to present. Student groups will have about fifteen minutes in which to give an overview of their issue and to describe what role the United Nations currently plays (the precise timing of the presentations will depend on how many groups/issues we need to cover). Student groups MUST offer a critical perspective on the United Nations' role. Is it succeeding according to your standards, humanitarian standards, the standards the UN itself has set? WHY do the problems that exist in the issue area exist/persist? You might consider alternative (more ambitious?) roles for the United Nations on the issue, but these should be advocated only if they are politically and financially feasible.

Primary source material from the United Nations and affiliated agencies should be used to inform the presentation but so should outside information, at least some critical, of UN efforts. These can be found in the media, in scholarly journal articles, and books. Student presenters should be professionally dressed, should use PowerPoint (including photos), and should spread the load of speaking equally among group members. Find a selection of UN issues at http://www.un.org/issues/. Student groups should submit their PowerPoints to the instructor electronically on the day the presentation is given (I will not chase you down for this. You remember to turn it in or you don't). Student presentations are worth 10% of the final course grade. Evaluations of the presentations by the instructor will be supplemented by peer evaluations to determine the grade for this assignment. Group presentation are on September 24th and October 1st.

Content Quizzes. Students will take quizzes on the United Nations, Model UN skills, material from the class readings, and what transpired at our Model United Nations conference (both content and rules). Each quiz is worth 7.5% of the final grade, or 22.5% of the the final grade for all three quizzes. There is no final examination for this course, though the conference could be seen as a simulated, "real-world" final exam.

Research Binders. Students are expected to organize their course, conference, and research information as a portable reference resource for the conference. Binders will be evaluated on the degree to which they are well organized, thorough, and represent a sound collection of quality resources (not sure if something is quality, ask!). Binder content should cover the basics of the United Nations (such as the UN Charter, the UN structure--or other international body depending on your assignment for the conference), Model UN/conference rules, conference information and procedures, and country and issue background information (including a highlighted version of the conference-provided background guide and primary source information on your country's foreign policy) and analysis (including highlighted scholarly articles and news stories on your country and issues--PLEASE DO NOT FORGET THIS. THIS HAS BEEN THE GREATEST STUMBLING BLOCK FOR STUDENTS). Please also include information on other important countries' positions on the issues before your committee. A detailed table of contents should introduce the material in the binder (see a sample here). The binder project is worth 10% of the final course grade.

Position Papers for the Conference. It is standard procedure at Model United Nations conferences for delegates to produce position papers on the issues before their committees written from the perspective of their assigned countries (so you might have two or three issues to cover for this assignment). Guidelines for position papers are available from http://www.unausa.org/modelun. Please note what needs to be included in a position paper from the UNA website). Further suggestions and samples are available from: http://www.canimun.org/english/res_004.shtml. The Southern Regional Model United Nations has its own guidelines. Please refer to those at http://www.srmun.org/docs/position_paper_guidelines.pdf. Make sure your position paper contains a clear statement of your country's position on the issue, background to your country's involvement on the issue domestically (how does it affect you? past laws, past government action like signing international agreements) and thinking about the international aspects of the issue that will be negotiated at the conference (what do you want to do in the international arena about this issue?), justification for your country's policy choices (relevant data). Use quotations from your country's president, prime minister, or foreign minister to buttress your positions for the richest paper.

The position papers are worth 10% of the final course grade. They will be evaluated based on the clarity of the country's position and the reasons for that position, the thoroughness of the research (including use of primary source quotations), and the quality of the writing. Be aware of the need to use diplomatic language, to put your country's best foot forward, and to write in the "voice" of your country. Note: Delegates jointly representing one country on the same committee will submit a joint position paper. Generally, the top 10% of position papers at SRMUN will receive a position paper award. Also, the position paper grade affects the individual's and country's chance at winning an award at SRMUN.

Attendance and Participation in the Conference. Attendance and avid participation in the conference are vital. This is the culmination experience for each of us in the course, the raison d'être of the entire course.

Because of differing personalities, some students will participate more visibly than others. Some are more shy, some more gregarious. But, all can in their own way engage themselves actively in the simulation, trying to grapple with the issues and attempting to get their country's point of view across to other delegates. Whether one is quiet or outgoing by constitution, all can participate in shaping the outcome of their committees through speechmaking, behind-the-scenes consensus building, resolution drafting, or creative development of salable compromises. I will attempt to observe each of you in your committees. Students whose participation is recognized with an award by the conference organizers will see that reflected in their grade for this segment of the course.

If the instructor determines that a student has failed to prepare adequately for the conference or is engaged in behavior at the conference which might bring discredit on UNC Wilmington or the Department of Public and International Affairs (including tardiness for meetings), that student will be disallowed from attending the conference or dismissed from the conference immediately (regardless of fees paid). Any student so dismissed will fail the course. Appropriate dress is required as part of participation in the conference. That means office professional dress: dress shoes, no short skirts, no low-cut blouses, and no tight-fitting clothing. Attendance and participation in the conference are worth 20% of the final course grade.

Post-Conference After-Action/Debriefing Report. Students are expected to reflect on the conference and write a brief three-to-four page, double-spaced paper on lessons learned. In this paper, students should discuss what transpired in their committees, what role they played in shaping the outcome, what they did particularly well, and how they might do a better job if they had a second chance. Reflecting well on your weaknesses won't hurt your grade; it will help it. In the paper, consider what you learned about the United Nations, Model United Nations, diplomacy, the importance of public speaking, or other areas of the course. Try to analyze why the committee proceeded as it did. This paper is worth 10% of the final course grade.

Students are encouraged to talk to me if they feel they need assistance with the course material. I can be reached by e-mail at tanp@uncw.edu or by phone at 910-962-3221. I am in my office most days at least 9-3 (with the exception of the times I am teaching). Dedicated office hours are Tuesday and Thursday 12:30-1:45pm.

The University Learning Center (ULC) also provides assistance to students in writing, math, and general academic skills. The ULC is located on the first floor of Westside Hall (WE 1056); phone 962-7857; web www.uncw.edu/ulc; hours: Mon–Thur 8am–9pm; Fri 8am–5pm; Sun 3pm–9pm.

Signpost put up by peacekeepers, Western Sahara (2003). From United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

This instructor believes academic honesty is the foundation of the entire enterprise of a university. Only in an environment of honesty can genuine learning occur and good citizenship be fostered. For further information, students should consult the online UNCW Code of Student Life at http://www.uncw.edu/stuaff/odos/documents/0910CodeofStudentLife_FINAL.pdf (The Honor Code begins on page 6 in the 2010 version). Students should also feel free to ask the instructor any questions they may have about academic honesty. Because academic honesty is treated as a serious matter, the course policy is one of zero tolerance for academic DIShonesty.

The core principle of the Academic Honor Code is that student work represents the original work of the student. For this reason, plagiarism, using the work of another without proper citation, and cheating, the unauthorized use of information during an examination, are prohibited.

The Academic Honor Code works for both students and teachers. Students can expect that the instructor will treat them in a fair, honest, and impartial manner. The instructor also expects students to deal with her and with one another honestly. Plagiarism and cheating are violations of academic honesty because they steal from the original creator of the work. In addition, they violate the relationship of honesty between student and teacher as the student attempts to pass off work as his or her own which was produced by another. Further, plagiarism and cheating violate the bond of honesty among students themselves. Students who produce their assignments through long, hard work are being violated by those taking a shortcut through the misappropriation of another’s work or knowledge. Most sadly, students who violate academic honesty cheat themselves of the chance to learn.

1) Work for this course must be yours, and it must be original. If you wish to work on a project you have previously worked on for another class, you must add at least as much content as the assignment requires that is new and original for this class.

2) You may receive help on your written assignments (not tests) from your roommate, significant other, parents, the University Learning Center, or a passerby on the street. The process of reading and revising your work based on the comments of others is an important part of how we learn and improve.

Students are encouraged to call or e-mail with questions, or stop by office hours (listed above). I endeavor to be available to assist you with your course work. It’s my job. As a hint, e-mails are likely to guarantee a quicker response than phone messages. I am most happy to set up an appointment for a meeting in addition to those times listed as office hours. However, because I have a young child at home, students must understand that there are limits on my time. A note on courtesy: When students receive assistance through any one of these extra-class channels, they should be sure to thank the instructor for her time, thought, and effort. This little trick will serve you well in the future. It is an expected part of social etiquette.

Students are encouraged to plan in advance to make time to complete assignments. Things come up during the semester; relatives require our attention, cars break down, and students get sick. Students should begin their assignments early enough to allow for these foreseeable and unforeseeable eventualities. The instructor does not wish to receive any late assignments during the semester.

Papers are due at the start of class on the date listed on the syllabus. Each twenty-four hours that a paper is late may result in a penalty of one letter grade. Late papers must be submitted by e-mail (pasted into your message and attached in Word format) and must receive confirmation of receipt from the instructor to be considered "turned in." For your protection, submit your paper from an e-mail account which will keep a record of your outgoing e-mail. With this, you could demonstrate a true attempt to submit the paper that somehow disappears into the electronic ether. Do not submit papers to the instructor’s faculty snail mailbox, the department secretary, or under the instructor’s office door. After submitting papers electronically, students should bring a print-out of the late assignment to the next class meeting. Late assignments will not be graded on the same schedule as assignments submitted on time. Under no circumstances should students miss class to complete an assignment.

Students are invited to attend lectures, panels, and movies on campus that deal with international affairs. Just check with the instructor beforehand as to whether you've picked a good event. After the event, submit a one- to two-page single-space write-up that deals with your reactions to the presentation. How does it relate to what we are doing in class? How does it relate to other things you've studied? Did you agree or disagree with the speaker/s argument? What did the presentation make you think about? This extra credit will be used toward class participation or in the calculation of final grades in borderline cases.

Students are strongly encouraged to show respect for fellow students and the instructor by arriving for class on time. Late arrivals disturb fellow students and disrupt the learning process. It is better to come in late than not to come at all, but try to be respectful of classmates by making arrangements to be in class and in your seat at the start of class.

An excused absence is one that is discussed with the professor IN ADVANCE and for which documentation can be provided. Only for excused absences will the professor allow work to be made up. All make-up work will be done at the instructor’s convenience.

The instructor understands that some students may have need of accommodation (for example, extended testing time or a quiet testing locale) due to a disability. If you feel that you are in need of an accommodation, please contact Disability Services in Westside Hall to make the appropriate arrangements. The phone number is 910-962-7555.

Students are permitted to use laptop computers during class to access PowerPoints, online notes, or to type their own course notes. Laptops are not to be used for surfing the internet or checking e-mail. Students with computers are encouraged to sit in the back of the classroom to avoid disturbing fellow students. During periods of class discussion, computers should be closed to ensure adequate attention and participation. Obviously, when tests and quizzes are being administered, laptops are not permitted. Use of cellphones, including texting, is never permitted. PLEASE NOTE: If students are found to be using electronic devices in a manner inconsistent with the professor’s assessment of the best environment for group learning, they may be penalized with a one-letter grade reduction in their final course grade.

Finding Information about United Nations Issues, Countries, and Model United Nations

World Wide Web:

The web has a bounty of information for research in international affairs (not all of it credible—be a careful consumer!!!). Below, students will find a selection of websites. Students should consult the instructor if they require any assistance in finding additional web resources on particular issues or countries.

American Model United Nations Handbook http://www.amun.org/amun_handbook.php

Amnesty International http://www.amnestyusa.org

Arab League (Official) http://www.arableagueonline.org/arableague/index_en.jsp

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN—Official) http://www.asean.or.id

BBC World Service http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice

BBC Country Profiles http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/country_profiles/default.stm

Brookings Institution http://www.brookings.edu

Carter Center http://www.cartercenter.org

CIA World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/

Council on Foreign Relations http://www.cfr.org/index.php

EU Observer (News about the European Union) http://www.euobserver.com/

EuroGuide (Guide to the European Union, United Kingdom) http://www.euroguide.org/

Embassy, the Electronic Embassy http://www.embassy.org/ (find links to embassies in Washington, DC)

European Governments Online (from the EU) http://europa.eu.int/abc/governments/index_en.html

European Union Online (Official) http://europa.eu.int/index_en.htm

Foreign Affairs http://www.foreignaffairs.org/

Foreign Ministries, links from the US Institute of Peace http://www.usip.org/library/formin.html

Foreign Policy http://www.foreignpolicy.com/

Foreign Policy in Focus http://www.fpif.org/

Freedom House http://www.freedomhouse.org/

Global Issues http://www.globalissues.org/

Global Policy Forum http://www.globalpolicy.org/

Global Security http://www.globalsecurity.org/

Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org

International Crisis Group http://www.crisisgroup.org

Missions to the UN (with links to missions’ websites) http://www.un.int/index-en/webs.html

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO—Official) http://www.nato.int

Organization of American States (OAS—Official) http://www.oas.org/

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute military databases http://www.sipri.org/contents/webmaster/databases

United Nations Association Model UN Preparation Guide http://www.unausa.org/modelun

United Nations (Official) http://www.un.org/english/

United Nations Basic Facts http://www.un.org/aboutun/basicfacts/

United Nations Charter http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/

United Nations Chronicle http://www.un.org/Pubs/chronicle/index.html

United Nations Cyber School Bus, Model UN Headquarters http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/modelun/index.asp

United Nations Development Program Human Development Report http://hdr.undp.org/

United Nations Documentation Center http://www.un.org/documents/

United Nations News (Official) http://www.un.org/News/

United Nations News (Yahoo!) http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc/World/United_Nations/

United Nations Secretary-General http://www.un.org/sg/

United Nations System http://www.unsystem.org

United Nations Television and Video http://www.un.org/av/tv/

UN Watch (NGO) http://www.unwatch.org/

US Mission to the United Nations http://www.un.int/usa/

US Department of State (Official) http://www.state.gov

US Department of State Background Notes http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/

World Bank (Official) http://www.worldbank.org

World Wide Web Virtual Library (WWWVL) International Affairs Resources http://www.etown.edu/vl/

Further Sources: Databases, Books, Periodicals, and Scholarly Journals

To find more information on your country, organization, or issue, please consult the following library databases (accessible via the library homepage at http://library.uncwil.edu/). The databases will connect you with citations to books and articles as well as online full-text electronic resources.

ABI Inform
Britannica Online
CIAO
EbscoHost
Electronic Journals Service
JSTOR
LexisNexis Academic
Polling the Nations
Project MUSE
WorldCat

Books not owned by the library can be quickly obtained through the library's very efficient Interlibrary Loan system. See

http://library.uncw.edu/web/customerservices/interlibraryloan.html.

I have made a separate Model UN Research Guide which can be found at http://people.uncw.edu/tanp/ModelUNResearchGuide.html. You can also check my Good Sources webpage at http://people.uncw.edu/tanp/GoodSources.html.

UN Security Council Delegation in Ivory Coast (2007). From United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

Talk about what the UN is (what does the UN mean to you?) and what Model UN is (Watch 15-minute Model UN for Everyone video).

Go over the syllabus and course expectations (You must attend the conference in November, and this has a substantial cost!).

Public speaking exercise: 1-minute on a contemporary international issue (based on handout of article).

Homework for next time: Explore the UN webpage http://www.un.org. Find a good information source to share with the class next time. You will be called on this, so have something interesting to say!

02 Aug 24 History and Place of the United Nations in World Politics (UN BKGRND, PS)

Discuss UN webpage explorations. What information resources did you find? Think about what you might want to have in your binder for our conference in November.

Assign student groups and presentation dates next time. Let me know if you have any partner/issue requests. A selection of issues can be found at http://www.un.org/issues/.

03 Aug 26 Structure of the UN System (UN BKGRND, PS, CRITICAL THINKING, GETTING READY FOR CONFERENCE)

Homework for today: Go over United Nations organization chart at http://www.un.org/aboutun/chart_en.pdf. Be able to tell the class about one interesting body from the UN family of organizations that you didn't know about before that you learned about from Basic Facts, Ch. 1. What does the organization do? How is it funded? Are you able to discover whether it's effective? How would you know?

Assign student groups for issues presentations. Draw presentation order/dates.

Looking ahead: Registering and paying for the conference/logistics. Pass out Model UN contracts (discuss), due with payments next time.

04 Aug 31 International Peace and Security (UN BKGRND, PS, GETTING READY FOR CONFERENCE)

Reading: Mingst and Karns, Ch. 4. Basic Facts, pp. 67-81. Also, reference: Basic Facts, rest of Ch. 2.

Homework for today: Familiarize yourself with two major security cases from Mingst and Karns, Ch. 4 and Basic Facts, Ch. 2. Choose from Rwanda, Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Israel/Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Cambodia, East Timor, Cyprus, or the former Yugoslavia.

Activity 1: Informal quiz on security cases (counts toward daily class participation).

Activity 2: Watch a webcast from the Security Council. (Note: There's no one lesson to teach you how to speak like a diplomat. You have to start watching (news, media stakeouts, formal sessions) and reading (speeches, foreign ministry statements) to learn the lingo. See for a sample text: http://www.indonesiamission-ny.org/menu_kiri/k1_peace_security/k1_statements/111909.html.). This is part of active learning. I give you the resources, and you have to do the follow through to teach yourself.

Activity 3: What's going on at the UN SC this week? If you were UN SC member Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Turkey, Russia, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, or Viet Nam, what would you say/do about it? PRACTICE SIMULATING INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS!

Model UN contract and payments due. One check to Southern Regional Model United Nations for registration. Another check to UNCW Department of Public and International Affairs for the balance of the trip cost.

Reading: Check out the "Rules of Procedure" from American Model United Nations' Model UN in a Box, on e-Reserve.

Recommended: SRMUN has its own GA rules of procedure long and short versions, available from the website http://www.srmun.org. Choose the "For Delegates" tab. Take a look at the UN Association's website on rules to learn some of the formalities of speaking at a UN body: http://www.unausa.org/munpreparation/rulesofprocedure. The annual American Model United Nations conference handbooks have extensive sections on rules as well. http://www.amun.org/index.php?page=handbook-archive. This type of content should be in everyone's binder.

Guest: Visit from representative of the UNCW Model UN Club. We will discuss how sessions work at Model UN, including formal session, caucusing, building consensus, using the press, placards, and dress code. Be prepared to ask questions!

Activity 1: Look at pictures of past conferences. What can you expect? Link via my webpage at http://people.uncw.edu/tanp/.

Activity 2: Practice simulation: The UN Security Council dealing with a current issue.

Get ready for public speaking exercise next time, on Canada. See below for details.

A couple of sessions ago, we learned about the Security Council. This time learn about the General Assembly and General Assembly resolutions.

Activity 3: Discuss what makes a good student presentation, what makes a bad student presentation.

Activity 4: Public speaking exercise. For two minutes, speak to an international forum about Canada's position on climate change, the war in Afghanistan, energy, trade, indigenous peoples, or another issue of interest to you. A place to start to find meat for your speech is the "Speech from the Throne," March 2010. http://www.speech.gc.ca/eng/index.asp. Hints on speaking: Be lofty and inspiring but also have specific proposals. Reflect Canada's interest but persuade others that what you propose is best for them, too. Practice in advance to get your time right. Have two or three take-away lessons that you hammer home again and again. Make your most important points memorable. Greet your fellow delegates, thank the chair for the opportunity to speak. Learn the diplomatic lingo.

SUBMIT: TOP THREE CHOICES FOR COUNTRY AND COMMITTEES FOR SRMUN. I will announce potential countries. Let me know any preferences you have about countries: Arab, Asian, Latin American, etc. Check: http://www.srmun.org/committees.php for committees.

07 Sep 14 Foreign Policy and the World System (IR THEORY, MUN SKILLS, GETTING READY FOR CONFERENCE)

How do you decide what your country's foreign policy should be? Today is a crash course on where foreign policy comes from.

Reading: James Lee Ray and Juliet Kaarbo. "Inside States: The Making of Foreign Policy." Global Politics (8^th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co, 2002, pp. 137-174.

Recommended: Richard Haass. "The Age of Nonpolarity: What Will Follow US Dominance." Foreign Affairs. May-June 2008.

Consider: How is foreign policy made? How do you decide what positions and actions your country should take? What is diplomacy? What is the world system like now?

Activity 1: Discuss foreign policy and diplomacy. Put it together for a selection of countries on a contemporary issue.

Activity 2: What is the world system like now? How does it matter for the UN? For Model UN?

Activity 1: Try your hand at writing a resolution. Practice caucusing to get consensus.

Activity 2: Finish watching: The Center of the Storm, video on former Secretary-General Kofi Annan (90 minutes)

Activity 3: UN SG Discussion. What is the role of the UN Secretary-General? What are the UN SG's powers? What issues has Ban Ki-moon stressed since he took over as UN Secretary-General in January 2007?

Activity 4: See peer evaluation form to help get ready for issues presentations.

Note: There is not a perfect fit between our topic today and the reading, but the reading on economic development is extremely useful for understanding one of the most important of the UN's tasks. Depending on our topic for the simulation, this could be invaluable. YOU MUST READ!!

COUNTRIES AND COMMITTEES FOR SRMUN SHOULD BE ASSIGNED BY NOW. Get started on your country research (see the basic data form for information you need to find). Also, read the background guide for your committee from the SRMUN website at http://www.srmun.org/committees.php. Learn how to pronounce the names of the top officials in your country by going to the Voice of America Pronunciation Guide.

10 Sep 23 Doing Research on Our Countries and Issues (MUN SKILLS, RESEARCH, PS)

Looking ahead: Basic data form available online. Due next class (copy and paste into a Word Document and add information on your country).

By the end of class: Share one thing you've learned about your country that seems useful for understanding how it will behave on the issues you will be dealing with at the Model UN conference.

Consider: Writing to your country and requesting information or answers to specific questions.

Be sure to add the research you do on your country to your binder! Be aware that the Basic data form is just a starting point for understanding your country. Try to read widely. Know your country's history and background. Know what's going on now.

Watch the UN in session to learn the lingo. See the UN's webcast page: http://www.un.org/webcast/. Go to archives if nothing is live.

Looking ahead: Position papers due 10/7 (during Poli Sci days). Get started on this important part of your SRMUN participation. Without a strong position paper, it doesn't matter what you do at SRMUN, you won't get an award. What you do will also affect your whole country delegation's eligibility for various awards. So, everyone is counting on you!!

11 Sep 28 Issues at the United Nations (UN BKGRND, PS, MUN SKILLS, CRITICAL THINKING)

Reading: Mingst and Karns, Ch. 6. Reference: Basic Facts, Ch. 4. Keep up with your reading: On human rights for today.

Note: Peer evaluations will contribute to grades on the assignment. Also, you will each be asked at the conclusion of your presentation to reflect on what you feel you might do better next time you give a public presentation.

Recommended: Basic Facts has factual write-ups on lots of issues the United Nations is dealing with. This should form a starting point for your research. The United Nations website also has information on issues with which the UN deals. Check http://www.un.org/issues/.

Homework for today: Check http://www.srmun.org/ to see if any of our background guides are up yet. Be prepared to discuss.

Position paper due date coming up. Make sure your position paper contains a clear statement of your country's position on the issues, background to your country's involvement on the issue and thinking about the international aspects of the issue that will be negotiated at the conference. Use quotations from your country's president, prime minister, or foreign minister to buttress your positions for the richest paper.

12 Sep 30 Issues at the United Nations (UN BKGRND, PS, MUN SKILLS, CRITICAL THINKING)

Reading: Mingst and Karns, Ch. 7. Keep up with your reading: On human security for today.

Activity 2: Millennium Development Goals, if no student presentations touch on these.

Be aware: If there are three issues before your committee at SRMUN, you might not get through all of them, but you'll have to prepare as if you will.

Oct 7 Poli Sci Days. (Attend one session in exchange for missing PLS 221. Bring your ticket to class next time.)

Reading: Eric Shawn, The U.N. Exposed: How the United Nations Sabotages America's Security and Fails the World. No place of publication: Sentinel, 2006. pp. 60-87.
Recommended: UN Under-Secretary General responds to typical criticisms of UN. See, Shashi Tharoor on "Have Your Say," BBC World, September 24, 2006, available at http://www.shashitharoor.com/STforSG/interviews/bbc25sept06.html.

Activity 1: Work on revising position papers. Share research tips with fellow country delegates, fellow committee members. The delegation will sink or swim together as far as a team award is concerned. All your position papers impact the delegation's score.

Peacekeeper peers from pockmarked building. From United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

Reading: Roger Fisher and William Ury, Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement without Giving In, New York: Penguin, 1983. Selections.

Activity 3: Assign topics/countries for PLS 221: Model United Nations Security Council.

Looking ahead: Apply your research skills to learning about your country's positions on the issues and be prepared to play the role of your country in a mock UN Security Council session. This is a dress rehearsal, so dress as you will for the conference. Bring a placard for your country. You should complete a basic data form on this country to get ready to play your role. You should also research the issue/s for our simulation.

GET READY TO UPLOAD YOUR REVISED POSITION PAPER TO THE SRMUN WEBSITE (DATE TBA BY SRMUN).

Content Quiz #2. Are you up on your reading? There will be items from both class and the reading on the quiz.

Getting ready for Atlanta: Check the SRMUN website for any helpful information for the conference. Remember to add to your binder!

This simulation is like your graduation from PLS 292. You MUST be here and be well informed, authentic to your country, and creative in finding mutually agreed upon solutions.

Be prepared to discuss: What are possible solutions to the issues before your committee? Think creatively and do research. What are some ideas people have proposed on these topics?

Activity: Public speaking exercise. Present a one minute speech on an issue before your committee.

Looking ahead: You should be getting ready for Atlanta: Know your issues and your country cold. Go through all the Model UN skills we've covered in the syllabus. Watch UN webcasts to learn the language of diplomats. Start thinking now about creative solutions to the problems before your committee. Go in to the conference with a head start on thinking about what the countries can do TOGETHER to get to solution. Write out six one-minute speeches on issues before your committee. Practice them in front of your parents, roommate, significant other, or pet. Then, practice again.

Looking ahead: Next class, one more public speaking exercise before we go. Be ready!

Last minute: Getting ready for the big conference (business attire, departure times, cellphone numbers, room assignments, delegate code of conduct, student evaluation during the conference, letter for professors to explain trip-related absences, text before speaking, so I can be there). Set times for delegation lunches and dinners as well as Sunday departure time.

Discuss: What's going on in the world? Anything relevant to the conference that we should know about?

Discuss: What behavior will help you succeed at the conference? Attend all sessions, work with others to build coalitions (remember to give other something), be active in debates and speak well, be well informed about your country issue, be creative and positive.

Activity: Public speaking exercise. Last before we go. Your country, your committee, an issue of your choice.

Nov 18-21: Southern Regional Model United Nations: Atlanta, Georgia

Remember to learn about other countries' agendas. Don't come in thinking you can just stick to your agenda. Be assertive but also be flexible.
Think about resolution IDEAS and OPTIONS before going to Atlanta. DON'T WRITE A WHOLE RESOLUTION IN ADVANCE; it won't succeed without collaboration in creation. You've thought about your country's positions, but how are you concretely going to solve the problems presented in the issues before your committee? You oppose landmines, but what are you concretely going to do about them? Removal, a ban, education of people. THINK OF OPTIONS. Research the issue to learn about proposals that exist.
Use the regional blocs your country takes part in as a way to advance your ideas and develop allies.
Remember to act in character with your country's foreign policy and its diplomatic style. It's not your opinion you'll be showcasing at SRMUN but your country's position.
Know the news about your country and YOUR ISSUE up to the minute. Being a source of knowledge for the committee can make you and your input invaluable.
Get on the speakers list! Get on the speakers list! Get on the speakers list!
You are good enough and well prepared enough to impact your committee significantly. Go get 'em!

United Nations Electoral Assistance in Congo (2006). From United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

Consider coming back to Model UN by joining the UNCW Model United Nations Club!

For the future, consider applying to the United Nations Association of the USA as an intern working on Model UN or other United Nations issues.

Professor: Paige Johnson Tan, Ph.D.

Finding Information about United Nations Issues, Countries, and Model United Nations

World Wide Web:

Further Sources: Databases, Books, Periodicals, and Scholarly Journals