1. The Media and Peacekeeping

Since the end of the Cold War, the manner in which the media has covered peacekeeping operations has had a dramatic impact on the public's perception of these missions. One of the most influential pieces of this reportage was made into a motion picture called Black Hawk Down. Additionally, numerous other missions have been covered by various forms of print and photographic media. After reading the articles by Moeller and Holguin, create an initial post that addresses the following:

o What are some of the types of media coverage that have influenced public perception of peace operation?

o In what manner can the media influence these missions?

o Overall, has the media had a negative or positive impact on peace operations and the public's perception of these missions? Why?

Your initial post should be at least 350 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly sources, and properly cite any references. In addition to the text, you must utilize one additional scholarly source from the Ashford Online Library in your post.

2. Culture and Peacekeeping

Cultural awareness in peacekeeping operations has become increasingly recognized as being a critical element of effective missions. After completing this week's reading from Watson, address the following in your initial post:

o How can cultural awareness improve the effectiveness of peace operations?

o How can arts, sports, and popular culture impact a peace operation?

o What impact can the foreign language skills of peacekeepers have on a mission?

o How are some ways in which peacekeepers be trained in cultural awareness?

Your initial post should be at least 350 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly sources, and properly cite any references. In addition to the text, you must utilize one additional scholarly source from the Ashford Online Library in your post.

Final Paper
To complete the following assignment, go to this week's Final Paper link in the left navigation.

The Military as a Peacekeeping Force - A Critical Analysis

Is the utilization of various military forces an effective allocation of a state's resources? Based upon our readings and discussions, as well as additional outside sources, you will address this daunting question and provide support for your opinion. Among the questions you need to examine are:

1. How adept at keeping peace are military organizations?

2. What are some of the criteria for maintaining peace in a region of conflict?

3. What are some of the inherent difficulties in conducting peace operations?

4. Should private companies be utilized instead of or in conjunction with military forces in maintaining peace? Should these companies be used at all? Why or why not?

5. What role do cultural and societal differences play in peace operations? Can these be overcome? If so, how?

6. Do humanitarian missions pose the same difficulties as peacekeeping operations? If so, how?

7. What is your overall assessment of humanitarian and peacekeeping operations as conducted by military forces? Should they be abandoned all together, or are they effective? Why?

For this paper you need to do research in peer-reviewed journals or other sources that are considered to have reliable information. In addition to your required course text, you need at least six professional scholarly sources, three of which must be peer reviewed journal articles found in the Ashford Online Library.

Academic research papers must meet university level standards of quality. What constitutes quality, academic research?

1. Primary sources written by experts in the field of study

2. Secondary sources supported by research in primary sources

3. Credible sources (experts in the area of study)

4. Relevant research (materials are pertinent to the area of study)

5. Peer-reviewed journal articles (journal articles reviewed by recognized experts in the relevant field of study).

6. Educational and Government websites (those ending with a web URL suffix of .edu or .gov ) may be appropriate in some cases but

should be evaluated carefully.

Please visit the Academic Research section on your course homepage (accessible through the Student Responsibilities and Policies tab on the left navigation toolbar) to review what types of materials are not acceptable for academic, university level research.

The paper must be eight to ten pages in length (excluding the title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style. You must use at least six scholarly sources, three of which can be found in the Ashford Online Library, to support your points. Cite your sources within the text of your paper and on the reference page. For information regarding APA, including samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar.

Writing the Final Paper

The Final Paper:

1. Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

2. Must include a title page with the following:

o Title of paper

o Student's name

o Course name and number

o Instructor's name

o Date submitted

3. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.

4. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.

5. Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.

6. Must use at least six scholarly sources, including a minimum of three from the Ashford Online Library.

7. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

8. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.