Γεωγραφία Final Exam - Mexico's Drug War

Q: Based on your study of the industrial revolution, the world wars, the cold war, decolonization, the Koreas, India, and Mexico, what should the Mexican government do about the so-called “Mexican Drug War”? I applaud you. I gave you the option of taking a normal exam, cramming random terms for a meaningless test of factual recall. But no, you voted overwhelmingly to take the more challenging road of legislating on a difficult problem with worsening and significant local impact and massive implications for our friends south of the border. More significantly, you'll be tackling it from the perspective of Mexicans themselves through their legislature, The Congress of the Union.This article shows that the problem is more complex than most of us understand it to be. This packet connects you with lots more information, giving you a sense of what's been happening in Mexico. You are of course welcome to look at other sources, too. MUSQ it for a bonus!

Debates within Mexico about what to do about drug cartels are contentious. Look here, here, and here for current perspectives and ideas.

Part 1 - Exam Bill (50 points)

IMPORTANT: Unless your case is printed and ready to be delivered precisely at the beginning of the special session exam period, YOU WILL FAIL THE EXAM! No exceptions! And no, you can't leave and go print it. No, I will not accept them later.

Please prepare an outline for a 3-5m speech that includes the following elements:

• 1. Hook: Statement of intent. A face and a stat, showing the problem on the micro & macro level. Use a real story with a citation. Name actual people. No hypotheticals, please. (10 points)
• 2. Justification: Explain how the problem works with some stats explaining both the causes & impacts. (10 points)
  • 3. Plan - Specific provisions or planks of a plan to fix the need you cite (who does what, where, when & with what $ which comes from where?) Think 5Ws & SMART. (10 points)
  • 4. Solvency - 1-3 supporting arguments (claims, warrants & impacts) to support your plan. Prove that your plan works! Be able to talk about something analogous to what your proposing has worked somewhere. Explain the mechanics of your solvency model, linking your plan to the peoples' lives you are attempting to improve. Key search strategy: "name of your problem, success, study" (10 points)
  • 5. Blocks - Prepared answers to critics (be ready for tough questions from MPs and the media). (10 points)

Part 2 - Participation in Parliament. (50 points, 10 points a piece)

During the remaining class sessions, parliament will debate new policies. Points are rewarded for...

1. Explicitly supporting positions consistent with your morals.

2. Use of evidence during advocacy of your position.

3. Substantive clash with, amendation to, and rebuilding other MP's proposals.

4. Being constructive within the framework that your moral philosophy allows.

5. Getting your plan adopted as law by majority vote in the legislature.

Being off task results in no points being awarded or being subtracted for disruptions.