Please submit a paper of approximately 2000 words excluding references (about 8 pages doublespaced, one-inch margins with normal font and font size, such as Times New Roman 12 point) in which you apply some of the abstract concepts we have studied so far to a specific intelligence/policy case of your choice. The nuts and bolts of your casei.e. names and datesare important and should be included, but they should not be the focus of your paper. Of greater interest are the ways in which we can see how intelligence and policy interactor sometimes dont interact so wellin the real world. You can choose to take an approach that employs a macro-level approach, a micro-level approach, or anywhere in between. Ideally, your paper will address some of the main issues we are dealing with this semester. Here are some examples, but you are also free to choose your own guiding questions:
How did intelligence aid policymakers before and during the crisis/case?
Cases may focus on American intelligence or non-American services. Examples of potential topics include (but are not limited to):
the Bay of Pigs Cuban Missile Crisis the Venona project Operation CHAOS COINTELPRO Iran-Contra Iraq/WMD aftermath the Berlin tunnel (Operation Gold) the overthrow of Mossadegh (Operation Ajax) Aldrich Ames Robert Hanssen Interrogation/use of black sites Extrajudicial killings (i.e. Awlaki) Tet Offensive, Vietnam, 1968
Case Study Grading Rubric
Introduction (10) Clear introduction of the case and approach (5) Clear outline of core argument and structure (5) Analysis (30) Quality and consistency of dealing with core arguments and handling of counterarguments (10) Critical reading of sources (i.e. demonstrating understanding of underlying assumptions, concepts, and methods) (10) Logical progression of argument and supporting thesis statement (10) Quality of Research (25) Appropriate diversity and number of sources (10) Proper citations (10) Works cited page (5) Structure and Expression (25) Clarity of writing, including sentence structure, grammar, spelling, and appropriate paragraphing (25) Presentation (10) Adheres to word count, +/- 10% (References do not count towards word count) (5) Meets requirements in unit guide (5)
