Domestic politics

1500 Word Paper, MLA FORMAT

Pick one of the prompts and answer. MLA FORMAT

Write  (about 5 pages) addressing one of the following topics.

1)“Domestic political structures may have been important in determining economic performance in the postwar era, but in the past 30 years, domestic politics has been increasingly subordinated to the twin pressures of globalization and Europeanization”. Discuss with reference to the experience of at least two countries.

2)Do you see the institutional distinctions between the national models that we have studied to be converging, or to be remaining distinct? Are they just converging in some areas (i.e., macroeconomic policy)? On two models (a la Hall and Soskice)? On one model (a la Friedman)? Or are they not converging at all? If full convergence is not occurring, then how should we understand contemporary change? What is converging, what isn’t, and why? Are the current arrangements stable?

3)What is the relationship between stability, effectiveness, and participation in postwar European politics? Must countries choose among these objectives, or is it possible to “have it all”? Put another way, do some European democracies function better than others, or does each system offer a different blend of strengths and weaknesses? Which political system do you like best? Why? Your answer should compare at least two European countries.  Be sure to define what you mean by “stability,” “effectiveness,” and “participation”.

4)Analyzing a news story on European politics that has appeared since the course began. The news story should focus primarily on the intersection between domestic institutional legacies and contemporary challenges. Use two of the course authors to make sense of the story. Evaluate the explanatory value provided by the author.