what are sanctions?
LESSON 1
GOALS: Economic sanctions have become the predominant strategy in American foreign policy. The objective of this lesson is to have students learn what sanctions are, how they are implemented, and gain a framework to evaluate their effectiveness and desirability.
INSTRUCTIONS: Depending on class size, students should form small groups of 3-5. Using the linked CFR article, all students should read the first section: What are sanctions?
After that section, each student should choose one of the following sections:
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When are sanctions used?
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What is the sanctions process in the United States?
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What are extraterritorial sanctions?
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OPTIONAL: Do sanctions Work?
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OPTIONAL: What is the sanctions process in the UN?
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OPTIONAL: What is the sanctions process in the EU?
For the next five to ten minutes, students should read their respective section and prepare a short (approximately 2 minute) summary for their group.
After each student has shared their section summaries, groups should work collaboratively to research the pros and cons of sanctions. Each group should decide how to divide research responsibilities and how to present their arguments. Here are some suggested resources that can be used in this research:
ASSIGNMENT: On a sheet of paper, each group should create a T-chart listing at least five Pros and Cons for the use of sanctions. Below the T-chart, each group should articulate under what conditions, if any, the U.S. should use sanctions and what markers they feel should be used to determine if the sanctions are having a net positive or negative effect on the targeted country.
