Purpose: To understand the way America reacts to another country, we must first understand the other country. Many of the policies seem odd or upsetting to some, while those same policies are praised by others. In this assignment, you will select one of the listed countries, prepare a brief on that country, decide if you think America should have trade with that country, and then research the current American position to see if it aligns with your recommendation.

Lesson Outcomes
Analyze and evaluate significant political actions of another country (CLO 1, 2, 4, 5)
Communicate a political policy position in written form (CLO 2, 3, 4)
Printable Directions for this Assignment (PDF)- Alternative Formats
Steps for Completing the TaskSteps for Completing the Task

Step 1: Choose a Country.
There is a wide array of countries you may choose from, depending on your interests. The following selections were narrowed to countries normally not viewed significantly in the American media. This project is to help you understand a new culture, as well as, understand policy.
The list is separated into parts of the world. Determine what part of the world interests you and then select one of the countries listed.
Europe: Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, Greece, Finland, Sweden
Eastern Europe: Kazakstan, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Turkey
Middle East/North Africa: Oman, UAE, Yemen, Pakistan, Morocco, Algeria, Kuwait
Sub Saharan Africa: Sudan, Angola, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic
Asia: South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia

Step 2: Research the Country
You need to become very familiar with your countries background, geography, economics, population, and industries.
Here are some interesting and informative sites to help you with this:

  • World Fact Book
  • Infoplease
  • US 2019 Trade Policy
  • Writing a Policy Brief

Step 3: Write the Brief
A brief is simply a summary of important facts about a country. Your brief should be 2.5-3 pages in length. Be sure to review the Writing a Policy Brief (PDF) Click for more options Writing a Policy Brief (PDF) – Alternative Formats information. A policy brief includes the following information:
Title: Name of the Country you are analyzing.
Executive Summary: This section is often one to two paragraphs long; It will include an overview of the people, government structure (i.e. Democracy or authoritarian), historical view of the country (are they stable or prone to political violence)

Context or Scope of Problem: This section will be one to two paragraphs outlining what the country has that America might want to trade or find desirable.
Policy Recommendations: Based on your view of the countries structure, do you recommend trade with this country? What will be the advantages? Do you see any disadvantages with trading with them (i.e. making other countries mad at us or replacing something we are getting from another country)

US Current Policy: Now do a quick survey in the supplied web pages or on your own and state the current US trade policy towards your country. Is it the same are you recommend?
Sources: These should be reliable sources that you have used throughout your brief to guide your policy discussion and recommendations. You may use APA or MLA style (APA is preferred).
Criteria for SuccessCriteria for Success

To be successful, your paper should:
Be accurate
Include an introduction and background of your chosen country
Address and explain the advantages or disadvantages to US trade
Give a concise and pointed recommendation
Be written in your “own voice” with minimal errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling
Use academic English (no slang or texting language).
(Hint: read your responses out loud before submitting.)
Be properly formatted and 2.5-3 pages in length.

If your paper meets these criteria, then you will earn points for the paper as follows:
Completeness 5 pts
Accuracy 25 pts
Depth & Detail 30 pts
Writing Style 10 pts
Citations 10 pts
Total Points Possible 80 pts