This paper should use at least 10 or more references. This is for a Latin America politics class. I had to pick a country in Latin America and focus on an issue and create an argument. The country that I picked is Brazil. I want to focus on poverty in Brazil for this final paper. Here’s the professor’s instructions and requirements for this paper below.

PSC/LTS 3200 Spring 2017: Final Paper Assignment

Rationale:
Throughout the semester, students have been engaging with a number of trends in Latin American politics from a comparative perspective. The purpose of the final paper is for students to mobilize this knowledge in order to contextualize the politics of their chosen country. At its most basic students are meant to be engaging with the political prospects of the country they are studying, using their newly-minted knowledge of the region and its politics as a foundation for their analysis. Students will build upon their engagement with class content, Country-Study Presentations, reflection papers, and individual research for this assignment.

Analysis:
Students are free to develop their own argument—and yes, every paper must have a clear argumentative thesis. It may help, however, to think about the paper along three lines:

1.    What broad trends in Latin American politics are important to understanding the country’s politics?
1.1.    This can include (but is not limited to) wealth distribution, economic make-up, governance experiences/corruption, social/political dynamics, history of civil conflict, institutional make-up, economic character, etc.
2.    What are the prospects for this country’s future development?
2.1.    Is there a possibility for further institutional development?
2.2.    What are the main road blocks to social and political progress or stabilization?
3.    What can the experience of other countries tell us about the prospects for the country under discussion?

Arguments should be clear, specific, and tied directly to one or more of the issue covered in class. Good arguments will focus on a small number of considerations which are argued to be the most important for explaining the country’s politics.
*Students with questions about the paper, or their argument, should contact the professor to schedule a meeting as soon as possible.

Research:
This is a research paper, and it is expected that students will do substantial independent research. A good guideline on this score would be the use of one scholarly article/publication per-page; that would mean 15 sources for a paper like this. Of course, this will vary widely based on the nature and focus of the argument being developed. Simply be aware that it is important that your paper be well researched.
*Papers that do not build upon substantial research will not be eligible for more than a C.

Formatting:
Papers should be no more than 10pp, double spaced, with standard margins and font. All papers are expected to meet the formatting and referencing guidelines identified in the syllabus.

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