Tuesday, 29 September 2009

Brainstorming for a Dissertation Topic

In a couple of months it is time to start writing a long and complicated essay about... yes, that's the question, what? This is what we know:

 

- it has to be related to the European Union.

- I want to include Poland and/or Russia in the equation, possibly the Balkans as well.

 

Ideas in whichever order they pop up into my head:

 

A comparative study of the post communist countries and European integration (e.g. Poland, Russia and Croatia)

+ has the potential to be really interesting

+ should be easy to find material

+ directly linked to various kinds of EU foreign policy

- would cover a EU member, a potential member and a country with absolutely no interest in joining

- comparative politics is booooooring and it has always been my weakest subject

- the topic might be too wide; would be necessary to get the focus absolutely right

 

 

The relations between Poland and Russia in a European Framework

+ The relationship between Poland and Russia has always been very explosive and with Poland being a member of both NATO and the EU, Russia is far from satisfied.

- There is a danger that the EU is forgotten if I concentrate too much on Poland and Russia

 

 

Between Europe and Russia: the Future of the "Buffer States": Belarus, Ukraine and Southern Caucasus

+ Southern Caucasus is not completely unknown territory after my BA dissertation

+ There is definitely action in the area, and although none of them are EU members yet, these countries will be very important in the future relations between Russia and Europe.

- Risk of assumptions of the future instead of reality based on facts

 

 

6 Years later: Poland in the European Union

+ should be quite easy to find material

+ I would get the chance to concentrate on a country that interests me a lot

+ It would be easy to limit the topic...

- probably a lot of little details, boring?

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