International Politics

If you are interested in international politics and would like to focus on this for your dissertation but are unsure on how to narrow down your topic, then maybe these examples could help you:

Example international politics dissertation topic 1:

An investigation into the ongoing nature of democracy in Botswana.

Botswana is classified as a democratic country for the legislature and chief executive are elected through multi-party elections; however the nature of its democracy can be questioned – for, if faced with defeat, would the ruling party accept or enable itself to be defeated? In discussing this it is pertinent to note that the paternalistic President Masire stepped down in 1998 rather than force an election and that this approach was also adopted by his successor who stepped down in 2008. Accordingly, from an international studies perspective, it is debatable whether or not Botswana should be viewed as a true democracy. This dissertation uses secondary political theory sources as well as interviews with leading commentators within the country.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Good, K. (2010). ‘The illusion of democracy in Botswana’. In, Diamond, L. and Plattner, M.F. (eds), Democratization in Africa: Progress and retreat. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 280-294.
• Holm, J.D. (1987). ‘Botswana: A paternalistic democracy’, World Affairs, Vol. 150(1), pp. 21-30.
• Sebudubudu, D. and Osei-Hwedie, B.Z. (2006). ‘Pitfalls of parliamentary democracy in Botswana’, Africa Spectrum, Vol. 41(1), pp. 35-53.