Theory, Arms Races, and the Prisoner’s Dilemma

Purpose: The primary goal of this weekly summative assignment is to explore some of the most important concepts and paradigms used in the study of
international relations (IR). In this first week of class, you will utilize major IR theories along with the Prisoner’s Dilemma paradigm to analyze one of the most
long-standing and perplexing international issues, an arms race.
Prepare: Review the Introduction and Chapter 1 of the course text. In addition, read the assigned article, China’s Double-Digit Defense Growth: What It Means
for a Peaceful Rise (Links to an external site.) (PDF version).
Reflect: The study of international relations often involves trying to describe, explain, and predict global interactions using various theoretical perspectives.
Importantly, our ability to describe, explain, and predict accurately how states react to military competition, often described as arms races, is critical for
expanding our understanding of global politics. Consequently, the ability not only to analyze arms races between states using established theories of
international relations but also to explain these interactions using the Prisoner’s Dilemma paradigm are critical skills that all political scientists must have in
order to become proficient in their chosen field of study.
Write: In your assignment, complete the following:
Discuss how the article illustrates a prisoner’s dilemma.
Describe the realist, liberal, and identity perspectives reflected in the article.
Explain the best course of action for the U.S., using the Prisoner’s Dilemma paradigm as a guide.
The Week One Assignment:
Must be at least two pages (not including title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Writing Center (Links to an
external site.).
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Must use at least three appropriate sources:
These could include the article, the course text, and any of the required or recommended resources for this week.
You can also include additional resources found on the University of Arizona Global Campus Library website. The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other
Credible Sources (Links to an external site.) table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types.
Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in Citing Within Your Paper (Links to an external site.).
Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.
Must include a conclusion that summarizes the main points and restates the thesis.
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Formatting Your References List (Links to an external
site.).
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.