The Effectiveness of Economic Sanctions as a Tool of Foreign Policy
- Цель задания: развитие письменно-речевых умений: написание части реферирования, в котором раскрываются аргументы, поддерживающие или опровергающие определённую точку зрения.
CEFR descriptor:
Can produce an essay which develops an argument, giving reasons in support of or against a particular point of view and explaining the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
- Уровень владения языком: B2.
- Формулировка задания.
1) Let’s discuss it.
- What do you know about sanctions?
- What are the types of sanctions?
- What examples of economic sanctions do you know? Give specific examples from the history of international relations.
2) Match the vocabulary (1-8) with the correct definition (a-h).
Vocabulary | Definition |
1. GDP contraction, inflation and reduced living standards | a) The ability of a country's economic system to withstand and adapt to external financial pressure. |
2. to alter their foreign policy or behavior | b) The goal of sanctions, which is to force a government or regime to change its actions. |
3. to impose economic costs | c) Cooperation and agreement from multiple countries or international bodies, which makes measures more powerful. |
4. to inflict significant economic harm on a target state | d) A common negative outcome for civilians in a country facing broad economic sanctions. |
5. disrupt a nation's economy and global market integration. | e) The general aim of sanctions, which is to create financial damage and losses. |
6. multilateral support | f) To cause serious financial damage to a country, which is the primary mechanism of sanctions. |
7. the resilience of the target economy | g) An unintended consequence where sanctions make the population more united and patriotic in defiance of the outside pressure. |
8. to backfire by fueling anti-sanction sentiment | h) One of the main effects of sanctions, which is to cause disorder in a country's financial system and its trade with the world. |
3) You will participate in a collaborative brainstorming session to gather arguments for one part of your academic summary (expressing your own opinion). Your final task is to write one structured paragraph (approx. 150-200 words) that presents both supporting and challenging viewpoints on the given topic.
Instructions:
- Read the beginning of an academic summary on the topic “The Effectiveness of Economic Sanctions as a Tool of Foreign Policy” and try to highlight the main arguments of the author.
The text, “The Economics of Sanctions: Assessing Their Effectiveness in Shaping Foreign Policy” by Faizan Sajid and Khabeer Fatima, examines the use of economic sanctions as a central tool in international diplomacy. The article focuses on the ongoing debate regarding the effectiveness of these measures in compelling target states to alter their foreign policy or behavior. The central theme is that while sanctions are designed to impose economic costs to force political change, their success is highly contingent and often debated. The authors are concerned with evaluating both the intended economic impacts and the broader, frequently unintended, consequences of sanction regimes.
The authors put forward several key arguments regarding the mechanics and outcomes of sanctions. The first key idea is that the primary goal of sanctions is to inflict significant economic harm on a target state, leading to internal pressure for political change. This economic impact can include GDP contraction, inflation, and reduced living standards. The author provides examples such as trade and financial restrictions to show how they disrupt a nation's economy and global market integration.
Furthermore, the text argues that the political effectiveness of sanctions is not guaranteed and depends heavily on specific factors. According to the authors, multilateral support, particularly through bodies like the UN Security Council, is crucial for maximizing impact by limiting the target's alternatives. Another important point is the resilience of the target economy; states can adapt by diversifying their economies or finding alternative trade partners, as seen in case studies of Iran and North Korea. The author points out that sustained political will from the sanctioning countries is also essential, as results are often long-term and come with their own economic and diplomatic costs.
However, the authors contrast this intended political and economic pressure with significant humanitarian and ethical drawbacks. While sanctions aim to pressure governing elites, they often disproportionately harm the civilian population. The author illustrates this by referencing the sanctions on Iraq in the 1990s, which led to severe shortages of medicine and medical equipment. Moreover, instead of weakening a regime, these humanitarian consequences can backfire by fueling anti-sanction sentiment and strengthening the targeted government’s domestic resolve. From an ethical point of view, the suffering of vulnerable populations raises serious moral questions about the use of comprehensive sanctions, while from a strategic point of view, it can undermine the sanctions' ultimate objectives.
- Contribute to a shared online board by posting arguments "In Favor" (green) and "Against" (red) the central statement “Economic sanctions are an effective tool of foreign policy”.
Questions to Spark Discussion "In Favor" (Green/Arguments for Effectiveness):
- According to the authors, what is the primary mechanism through which sanctions are supposed to work to force political change? (Hint: It involves creating internal pressure).
- The text mentions that sanctions can "disrupt a nation's economy and global market integration." What are some specific examples of this economic harm that proponents might point to as evidence of their power?
- What three key factors do the authors say are crucial for sanctions to have a chance of being politically effective? How does multilateral support, for instance, strengthen their impact?
- From a strategic standpoint, if military action is the alternative, why might a government argue that sanctions are a more effective or preferable foreign policy tool?
Questions to Spark Discussion "Against" (Red/Arguments Against Effectiveness):
- The authors state that the political effectiveness of sanctions "is not guaranteed." What major drawback do they highlight regarding the humanitarian impact of sanctions, using Iraq in the 1990s as an example?
- How can the "resilience of the target economy," as seen in Iran and North Korea, actually undermine the entire purpose of imposing sanctions?
- The text argues that sanctions can often "backfire." How does the suffering of civilians sometimes strengthen the regime the sanctions are meant to weaken, according to the authors?
- From both an ethical and a strategic point of view, why might the unintended consequences of sanctions make them an ineffective or even counterproductive tool?
Broader Questions:
- Based on the authors' analysis, when are sanctions most likely to be effective, and when are they most likely to fail or cause harm?
- The central theme is the "duality" of sanctions. How can the same tool be seen as both a powerful diplomatic lever and a blunt instrument that harms innocent people?
- In pairs, review the collective arguments and select the most compelling ones for your writing. Don’t be afraid to ask your teacher or classmates for clarification.
- What is the structure of academic summaries? What does the paragraph “expressing your own opinion” should include? What expressions and linking words can we use in this paragraph?
Take a look at the handout. Let's pay special attention to point 4 now.
The structure of an academic summary
1. Introducing the Main Topic & Problem
(Use these in your first paragraph to present the text's central theme) • The text / The author discusses / examines / explores...
• The main issue / problem / question raised in the text is...
• The central theme / idea of the text is...
• This text deals with / is concerned with / focuses on... • The article is about...
• The text addresses the problem of...
2. Presenting the Author's Key Ideas & Arguments
(Use these in the second and third paragraphs to outline the main points) • Two main ideas are brought forward by the author.
• The first key idea / argument is that...
• The author points out that...
• Firstly, the author states that... / Secondly,...
• According to the author,...
• The author provides examples / evidence to show that...
• Another important point is that...
• Furthermore, / Moreover, / In addition,... (use these to add a similar point) • This idea is illustrated by the example of...
3. Showing Contrast or a Different Point of View
(Very useful for showing a conflict between two ideas, like internal vs. external ethics) • However, / Nevertheless, / On the other hand,...
• In contrast to this view,...
• From the internal point of view, ... while from the external point of view...
• The author contrasts A with B.
4. Expressing Your Own Opinion
(Use these in the final paragraph to give your personal response)
• In my opinion, / I believe that... / From my point of view,...
• I strongly / completely agree with the author that...
• I agree with the author to some extent, but...
• I disagree with the author's view that...
• It seems to me that...
• One of the strengths of the text is...
• A possible weakness / limitation is...
• This issue is important / relevant because...
• The author's argument is convincing / persuasive because...
5. Concluding and Summarizing
(Use these in your final sentence to give a sense of conclusion)
• In conclusion, / To sum up, / Overall,...
• Thus, / Therefore, the main conclusion is that...
- Write a paragraph expressing your own opinion (approx. 150-200 words) that includes:
- A sentence that clearly states your opinion.
- Two arguments that support the effectiveness of sanctions or two arguments that critique their effectiveness.
- Use appropriate linking words to ensure logical flow.
- A concluding sentence that briefly summarizes your argument.
4. Этапы реализации задания:
- Введение в тему задания
- Работа с лексикой по теме
- Представление текстового материала и обсуждение позиции автора
- Мозговой штурм. Студенты, используя смартфоны/ноутбуки, добавляют аргументы "За" и "Против" на интерактивную доску.
- Студенты в парах анализируют созданную карту аргументов и выбирают наиболее подходящие аргументы для своего будущего текста.
- Студенты самостоятельно пишут итоговый абзац, используя выбранные аргументы и раздаточный материал.
5. Планируемый результат: Студенты написали часть реферирования (выражение своего мнения), в котором раскрываются аргументы, поддерживающие или опровергающие определённую точку зрения на заданную тему.
6. Организация работы: Индивидуальная, парная, фронтальная.
7. Время выполнения: Долговременное (75-90 минут).
8. Критерии и шкалы оценивания
Критерий | 3 балла | 2 балла | 1 балл |
Содержание и аргументация | Личное мнение чётко выражено, приведены 2 аргумента, которые его подвтерждают. | Аргументы недостаточно раскрыты или приведён только 1 аргумент. | Личное мнение не ясно, аргументы отсутствуют или нерелевантны. |
Организация и связность | Использованы разнообразные средства логической связи. Текст хорошо структурирован и логичен. | Средства связи присутствуют, но их мало или они однообразны. Логика изложения иногда нарушена. | Средства связи отсутствуют или использованы некорректно. Текст нелогичен. |
Языковая грамотность | Использована лексика. Грамматические ошибки минимальны и не препятствуют пониманию. | Словарный запас ограничен, присутствуют повторяющиеся грамматические ошибки. | Многочисленные ошибки затрудняют понимание текста. |
9. Уровень ИК компетенции обучающихся:Пользовательский.
10. OOP: Статья: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/386341444_The_Economics_of_Sanctions_Assessing_Their_Effectiveness_in_Shaping_Foreign_Policy
Онлайн доска: https://webwhiteboard.com/
11. Технические условия: Доступ в интернет, проектор, интерактивная онлайн-доска.
