Memo Assignment
Due: Week 5 (February 6th at 9am)
Submission: Course Quercus Page
Weight: 20% of Total Grade
Length: 1250-1500 words (excluding references and citations)
Assignment Overview:
The legal and regulatory status of abortion as well as its accessibility have changed significantly since the 1960s in both Canada and the United States. In reference to Simeon’s concept of the “Funnel of Causality” (1976: 556) and the five explanatory factors he outlines (1976: 566-80) identify and explain either:[unique_solution]
- The current differences in the legality, regulation, and accessibility of abortion in Canada and the United States; or,
- The history and development of abortion law, regulation, and access in Canada, focusing on the seemingly divergent path of New Brunswick.
Doing so will necessarily entail providing a brief overview of the state of affairs in each jurisdiction. The starting point of your research should be the required readings for Week 3 of the course, however some additional research will be required to produce a strong paper. For your reference, edited versions of the key Canadian and US abortion cases (R v. Morgentaler and Roe v. Wade, respectively) have been posted on the course quercus page.
Approach/Writing Style
The memo should be written with an emphasis on clarity, brevity, and accuracy. In contrast with a traditional argumentative essay, you should focus on clearly conveying the information your research uncovered regarding the development and current state of the relevant policies. You should also seek to demonstrate your ability to apply theoretical/methodological ideas to real world scenarios by examining instances of change and divergence in light of Simeon’s explanatory framework. It may prove helpful to think of your TA as the audience for the paper and the purpose of the memo as explaining how and why abortion policy has developed as it has in particular places.
Formatting
The standard formatting requirements laid out in the syllabus apply. In addition, the use of headings/sub-headings is strongly encouraged. You may organize your memo as you see fit, but you must summarize your principle findings at or close to the beginning of the document.