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4.15: Assignments

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    Assignment 1: Democracy Stress Test (Comparative Analysis Project)

    1. Objective:
      • Evaluate the health of democracy in a selected country using theoretical frameworks from the chapter.
    2. Task:
      • Choose one country and conduct a “democratic stress test” analyzing:
        • Institutional integrity (elections, judiciary, media)
        • Inclusion and participation
        • Presence of backsliding indicators
        • Role of technology in political processes
    3. Frameworks to Apply:
      • Dahl’s polyarchy
      • Democratic backsliding (Bermeo, Levitsky & Ziblatt)
      • Intersectionality (Crenshaw)
    4. Deliverable Options (student choice):
      • Policy brief (1,500–2,000 words)
      • Interactive slide deck
      • Recorded 8-minute analysis

    Assignment 2: Peace and Justice Mapping Lab

    1. Objective:
      • Analyze how peace, justice, and democracy interact in a real-world conflict.
    2. Task:
      • Select a conflict-affected region and map:
        • Forms of violence (direct vs structural, Galtung)
        • Peace building efforts
        • Justice mechanisms (formal and informal)
        • Democratic participation pathways
    3. Creative Component
      • Students must include a visual system map showing relationships between peace, justice, and governance.
    4. Deliverable: 
      • Analytical report (1,200–1,800 words) + visual map

    Assignment 3: Algorithmic Democracy Audit (AI & Ethics Applied Project)

    1. Objective:
      • Critically evaluate how a specific technology shapes democratic processes.
    2. Task
      • Choose one:
        • Social media platform
        • AI system (e.g., predictive policing, hiring algorithms)
        • Digital governance tool (e-voting, civic platforms)
    3. Analyze:
      • Bias and inequality
      • Impact on participation and deliberation
      • Risks (disinformation, surveillance)
      • Policy or design solutions
    4. Frameworks:
      • Surveillance capitalism (Zuboff)
      • Algorithmic bias (Noble, Eubanks)
      • Democratic theory (Habermas, participatory models)
    5. Deliverable Options:
      • Policy memo
      • Tech ethics report
      • “Audit dossier” (structured evaluation)

    Assignment 4: Constitutional Imagination Project (Signature Assignment)

    1. Objective:
      • Synthesize democracy, peace, and justice into a normative vision.
    2. Task:
      • Write a preamble for a hypothetical “Global Constitution” that:
        • Defines democracy beyond elections
        • Embeds justice (social, economic, environmental)
        • Addresses global inequality and digital governance
        • Reflects intersectional inclusion
    3. Extension Option: Add 3–5 guiding principles or articles.
    4. Deliverable:
      • 800–1,200 word preamble and reflection

    Assignment 5: Case Study Remix (Narrative + Analysis Hybrid)

    1. Objective:
      • Deepen understanding of real-world democratic dynamics.
    2. Task:
      • Select one case from Section 4.9 and:
        • Expand it with additional research
        • Reanalyze it through two theoretical frameworks
        • Propose an alternative outcome or policy intervention
    3. Deliverable:
      • Choose one
        • Analytical essay (1,500 words) OR
        • Narrative-policy hybrid piece

    Bonus

    1. Peace-Process Mapping: Select a conflict region and trace peace building initiatives through Galtung’s positive/negative peace framework.
    2. Digital Ethics Audit: Evaluate one technology’s democratic impact (e.g., AI policing, blockchain voting). Propose safeguards grounded in human-rights standards.
    3. Constitutional Imagination Project: Draft a one-page preamble for a hypothetical “Global Constitution” integrating democracy, peace, and justice principles.
    4. Film or Literature Analysis: Analyze a cultural work that portrays democracy or authoritarianism. Discuss how art shapes civic empathy.
    5. Policy Brief: Recommend one reform to democratize a global institution (UN, IMF, WTO, ICC) and justify it with comparative evidence.

    This page titled 4.15: Assignments was last modified on Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:15:31 GMT and is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Miloni Gandhi.