1) Three short research reports (15%)
(1-2 paragraphs each,
posted on the
class discussion website)
1a) Due January 16:
Find Baltic news media through
http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/;
major newspapers include Postimees,
Diena,
Lietuvos Rytas, Telegraf, and many others.
See also
web portals such as
delfi.ee, delfi.lv,
delfi.lt,
apollo.lv,
dialogi.lv
(explore also Russian language pages
on these websites). Choose one newspaper
and/or one web portal, and
post
a 1-2 paragraph
description (knowledge of language is not required). What is the
content? Who is the audience? How is the publication financed?
1b) Due January 23:
Take notes as you learn to navigate Baltic
government and parliament websites: Parliaments:
Estonia,
Latvia,
Lithuania;
Governments (i.e. ministies):
Estonia,
Latvia,
Lithuania.
Practice looking for useful information: for example,
What political parties are represented in the parliament?
Which parties are represented in the ruling coalition? Who are
some important people? Which ministry is in charge of army?
treaties with
foreign countries? administering EU structural funds?
fighting AIDS? collecting taxes? police?
fighting corruption? etc.
Post an analytical summary of one website or section of a website
(for example, Estonia's Ministry of Defence, Lithuania's Parliament
Anticorruption Commission, Latvia's Ministry of Finance, etc.).
Remember to compare English and native language pages, even if you don't
speak the language. Use ideas from Kristina Aidietiene, "A
survey of government institution websites in Lithuania," Baltic IT&T Review
2008,3 [Link] .
1c) Due January 30:
Browse the EU website, http://europa.eu/
. Investigate the work of one EU institution (for example,
Parliament, Council, Commission, Court of Justice, Agencies for common
foreign and security policy). Briefly summarize Estonian, Latvian
or Lithuanian participation in that institution.
Post your summary on the class website.
2) Three short presentations on
assigned readings (15%)
(1-2 paragraphs each, due
dates vary)
- Sign up to
review items to be discussed in class.
- Present an
analytical summary in class:
- Who is the
author? (1 sentence)
- What is the
problem? (1 sentence)
- What evidence is
presented? (2-4 sentences)
- What is the
source of evidence? (1 sentence)
- What are the
author's conclusions? (2-4 sentences)
- Your comments.
(2-4 sentences)
- Write up your
summary by the end of the week, and post it on the
class discussion website.
- Read and discuss
posts by classmates.
3) Discussion participation, in
class and online (20%)
- Stay informed about current news in the Baltic;
participate in class discussions. Post at least three contributions to
the conversations about current news at
class discussion website.
- Post your assigned reports online, on time
- Critique reports posted by classmates:
For every report you post, you should post at least one response to a
classmate's posting.
- Extra posts = extra credit
4) Research Reports (30%):
Study a current problem in Estonia, Latvia and/or Lithuania
(10-15 pages)
- Prepare policy suggestions for the
United States government. Your final report should include the
following:
- State the problem
- Present information that is
relevant to the problem
- Discuss reliability of your
sources, if appropriate
- Present a variety of
interpretations and/or possible outcomes, as presented by others
(quote your sources)
- Offer your suggestions for US
policy.
- Research is due in three stages:
- Friday, February 13: Rough draft
posted on
class discussion website
- Friday, February 20: Post
comments and suggestions on a classmate's draft
- Wednesday, March 4: oral
presentation in class
- Friday, March 6: revised draft
posted on
class discussion website
- Monday, March 9: Critique a
classmate's draft
- Friday, March 13: Upload final
report to
"Collect it" website (different from class discussion
website)
5) Final Exam (20%):
- Content of the exam: Current
issues in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
- Open book: You may bring your
class notes to the exam, but you won't have online access.
- Stay informed about news in the
Baltic
- Stay informed about your classmates'
research
- Upload your final exam to the
"Collect it" website (different from class discussion
website)
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