Gateway to Global Affairs: Policy Brief
Choose a case out of the following two and write a policy paper. The policy paper is aimed at a specific audience with concise policy options and the feasibility of these options. Building on course content and own research write a policy paper with at least two different policy options. Include all literature and sources used.
You can choose between a paper on the EU response to Russian election interference or a paper on China’s political and economic ambitions in Europe (specifically involving the 16+1 cooperation format in eastern Europe). Both papers are addressed to the European Commission.
- These topics are very broad; please identify a problem within these topics to address. This will allow you to then identify policy solutions targeting the specific problems.[unique_solution]
- Argumentation should be rational and realistic, backed-up by evidence, and based on what is actually happening,
- Your proposed policies need to be practical, feasible, and measurable. They ought to have concrete elements, and a plan of execution.
- A policy brief is an action-oriented tool, so you will need to justify the expense / trouble of your policy proposals.
- For the two policy options, it’s best to think of two opposing strategies / political perspectives toward the problem, and consider what the strengths and weaknesses of the options are. You should outline the merits of each, and the consequences if no action is taken.
- Remember that this, like the speech, is a practical exercise rather than an academic exercise, so try to write concisely and to the point. However, you will still need to reference and provide a bibliography.
For additional guidelines:
http://www.tepsa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Policy-brief-guidelines.pdf
https://writingcenter.unc.edu/policy-briefs/
Policy brief examples:
https://www.ecfr.eu/publications (only those labeled “policy brief” above the title) https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/document_gem/undesa-policy-brief/ http://clingendael.org/publications (filter by policy brief under “types” in the left-hand column)