Purpose: The primary goal of this assignment is to explore another very important concept in international relations, the levels of analysis precept. Your specific task is to read a Congressional report analyzing the Syrian crisis and then discuss and assess the various levels of analysis illustrated in the report.

Prepare: Review Chapters 2, 3 and 4 in the course text. In addition, read the assigned report, Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response.

Reflect: International relations occur at a variety of levels. Individual diplomats and world leaders communicate with each other daily. Domestically, state governmental institutions, non-governmental organizations and private international businesses develop international plans and strategies. Foreign policy is crafted by governments at the domestic level but is designed to be implemented at the systemic level. Finally, at the systemic level, international organizations, like the UN or NATO, interact not only with functionally similar organizations but also with multi-national corporations and state governments. Importantly, our ability to understand where these interactions are taking place and how and why this level of analysis affects the interactions is necessary for a broad and nuanced appreciation of global relations.

Write: In your assignment, complete the following:

• Discuss statements within the report that illustrate the different levels of analysis.
• Explain why each statement you selected from the report corresponds to the level of analysis you identified.
• Assess which level of analysis provides the most comprehensive justification for the emergence of conflict in Syria.

The Week Two Assignment:

• Must be at least two pages (not including title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA.
• Must use at least three appropriate sources:
• These could include the article, the course text, and any of the required or recommended resources for this week.
• You can also include additional resources found on websites. The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types.
• Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the In-Text Citation Guide.
• Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.
• Must include a conclusion that summarizes the main points and restates the thesis.
• Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the APA References List.