Strategies for Writing a Political Essay
In the realm of politics, understanding human rights issues is crucial, and nowhere is this more pertinent than in examining China's global role. This article offers guidance on researching and writing a paper about China's human rights record, a topic currently being explored by Shanon FitzGerald, Social Sciences Correspondent, as part of her Human Rights class.
The first step in this endeavour is to define your research scope and questions. Decide whether you want to focus on specific issues, such as the treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, repression of dissent, labor rights, or provide a broad overview of human rights in China. Example research questions could be:
- What are the major human rights concerns related to the Chinese government?
- How does the Chinese government respond to international criticism on human rights?
- What political and legal mechanisms affect human rights protections in China?
Once your research questions are established, gathering credible sources becomes paramount. Use a mix of international reports, academic articles, credible news outlets, and official Chinese government documents where available. Key types of sources include:
- Reports from governmental bodies such as the U.S. State Department’s China 2024 Human Rights Report, detailing forced labor, mass detention of Uyghurs, and suppression of freedoms[1].
- Statements and reports from the United Nations, such as the UN Special Rapporteur’s findings on imprisoned human rights defenders and lack of transparency from Chinese authorities[3].
- Scholarly summaries and critical overviews like the Wikipedia article on human rights in China, providing context on legal and political constraints (e.g., lack of independent judiciary, restricted religious freedoms, labor rights issues)[2].
- Analysis of recent social protests and government reactions, exemplifying suppression of dissent[5].
After gathering sources, it's essential to evaluate them for credibility, bias, and origins. International human rights reports tend to be detailed but may be contested by Chinese official sources. Scholarly publications provide a more neutral historic and legal context. Chinese government’s direct statements should be considered alongside external reports for balance.
Organize your findings logically, following a structure such as:
- Introduction: Importance of human rights in political analysis and China's global role
- Background: Overview of China’s political system and legal framework for rights
- Major human rights issues:
- Uyghur minority repression and internment camps[1]
- Political repression and treatment of human rights defenders[3]
- Restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly, and religion[2][5]
- Labor rights and forced labor allegations[1][2]
- Government responses and international criticism
- Implications for international relations and global politics
- Conclusion summarizing key points and implications
When writing, present facts supported by your sources, attribute reports (e.g., “According to the U.S. 2024 report…”), and discuss implications analytically. Avoid unsupported claims or overly emotive language.
Lastly, ensure proper academic format by following any formatting or citation guidelines your class requires (e.g., APA, MLA). Include a bibliography with full citations.
Revise and proofread your work for clarity, logical flow, and factual accuracy before submitting.
For more advice on approaching papers for open-ended research assignments, refer to the blog post titled "How to Settle on a Topic for Open-ended Research Assignments". This article is part of a series called "The Writing Process", which includes other posts on writing history research papers and philosophy papers for non-philosophy majors.
[1] U.S. State Department. (2024). China 2024 Human Rights Report. [Online]. Available: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/china/ [2] Wikipedia. (n.d.). Human rights in China. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_China [3] Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (n.d.). China: UN human rights experts call for immediate release of detained human rights defenders. [Online]. Available: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=27063&LangID=E [5] Amnesty International. (n.d.). China: Protests and repression in Hong Kong. [Online]. Available: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/03/china-protests-and-repression-in-hong-kong/
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