Write a 4-5 page paper on one of the following three topics:
1. Imagine you are running a non-profit environmental organization (interest group) called Earth Justice
Now. You are alarmed at the EPA policies adopted by the Trump Administration (for details, see the
interview with Elizabeth Southerland we discussed in class). Write a paper explaining your political
strategy for reversing these policies. Do you want to focus on using the court system, or pressuring
Congress, or electing new officials, or some other strategy (or combination of strategies)? Why did you
decide on the strategy you describe? What hurdles will you face, and how do you see your strategy
succeeding? Use at least three course readings (in addition to the Southerland interview) as the basis for explaining your strategy.
Examples:
On this topic, could you explore both the value of challenging EPA actions in court and also the limits of
this approach? Or perhaps you could you use one of the assigned readings on interest groups (such as
Hacker and Pierson) to explain how you might pressure Congress? Or maybe you think the only way to
secure long-term change on this kind of issue is by building a more grassroots social movement (see the
class readings on social movements)?
Requirements:
1. you must use a minimum of three course readings to write your paper (for topic #1, this means you should use the interview with Southerland (now up on Canvas), plus three other readings,
2. All papers should use 12-point font and 1” margins on 8.5 x 11 paper.
All sources
, including the
news articles, must be cited. Citations can be in the form of footnotes or endnotes or parenthetical
citations. For all formats, please include
page numbers
in your citations.
3. Suggested length: 4-5 pages.
4. Papers will be graded based on the content of your analysis, the use of course materials and news
sources, and the clarity of your presentation.
