HELLO, I AM
Alexander Zeppilli
Have a look at some of my scholastic projects in History, Political Science, and International Relations.
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HELLO, I AM
Alexander Zeppilli
I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree at Carleton University in the Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies.
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My name is Alexander Zeppilli. I am a Master’s student at Carleton University in the Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (EURUS). I joined EURUS to pursue my interest in Russia and the Euro-Atlantic region. Specifically, I am interested in studying international relations as well as recent and historical conflicts in that region. I have completed a Bachelor’s degree in History from Concordia University, graduating with distinction. Over the course of my Bachelor’s degree, I have been able to enroll in courses that intrigued and interested me. I have always been particularly drawn to European History and, in the latter part of my studies, I have opted to focus on Europe and Russia. Specifically, I chose courses which focused on Europe’s conflicts during the 20th century, from World War One to the Cold War. I have included some of my assignments and papers here.
Ukraine’s Bid for a Membership Action Plan and Russia’s Reactions
This Policy Brief was written for a seminar on Russian foreign policy in the twenty-first century. In this Policy Brief, I discuss Ukraine’s bid for a Membership Action Plan (MAP) from NATO. I provide an overview of the significance of a MAP and outline NATO’s relationship with Ukraine. I also discuss Russia’s reactions to Ukraine’s pursuit of a MAP and NATO membership. Finally, I offer some policy recommendations, which are intended for a member of Canada’s delegation to NATO.
The Debate on Lowering Voting Age in Canada
This paper was written for a Political Science class on Canadian Politics. In this paper, I defend the position that the voting age in Canada should not be lowered from 18 to 16. I dispute the argument that citizens between the ages of 16 and 18 are more politically aware or mature than previous generations were at the same age. I also discuss political interest and voter turnout, which are both part of the argument to lower the voting age. In this paper, I present evidence from Canada and other modern democracies.
Analysis of Different Representations of Vladimir Putin
This assignment was written for a seminar I took on Vladimir Putin. In this assignment I compare two different presentations of Vladimir Putin. The first, is a Frontline documentary made about Putin. The second, is Putin’s own autobiography First Person. The Frontline documentary is much more severe when discussing Putin and his past from his time in the KGB, to his time as Prime Minister of Russia during the Second Chechen War. Meanwhile, Putin’s autobiography seeks to normalize his past. Putin denies or dismisses any suspicious or unsavory parts of his past and presents himself as a trustworthy man who wants what is best for Russia.
Differentiation of Religious Terrorism from Other Drivers of Terrorism
This assignment was written for a political science class on Public Security and Terrorism. In this paper, I discuss the different attributes which vary between motivations for terrorism, as we covered in the class. As I discuss in this paper, religious terrorism often if not always features certain fundamental attributes which differentiate it from, for example, political or ideological terrorism.
State Terrorism, Dissident Terrorism, and the Role of the International Community
This assignment was written for a political science class I took on Public Security and Terrorism. In this assignment, I discuss the possible intervention of the international community in the case of state terrorism and of terrorism by a group of dissidents. I present my opinion on the conditions for intervention as well the role I believe the international community, including individual countries and NGOs, should play in an intervention.
Analysis of the Origins of the First World War
This paper was written for a seminar I took on the First World War. In this paper, I discuss and reexamine the causes for the outbreak of the First World War. I begin with the July Crisis of 1914, which was brought on by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Next, I discuss the complex Imperial rivalries between the European world powers. I also discuss the debate surrounding the Fischer controversy. I conclude that no individual reason historians have defended as the cause of the First World War gives a complete or satisfactory answer. Rather, a combination of these causes, combined with the recklessness of European political and military leaders, led Europe into war in 1914.
Analysis of War Memoirs from the Battles of Peleliu and Okinawa
This paper was written for my class on the Pacific Theater of the Second World War. In this paper, I analyze the similarities and differences between two memoirs from soldiers who fought in the war: Colonel Hiromichi Yahara’s The Battle for Okinawa, and E. B. Sledge’s With the Old Breed at Peleliu & Okinawa. These first-hand accounts of the two of the most infamous battles of the Pacific Theater offer very different perspectives of battle. Both accounts lament the loss of life and display a sense of camaraderie between men who have been in combat together.
Airpower and the Combined Arms Warfare Doctrine
This paper was written for my class on the Pacific Theater of the Second World War. In this paper, I examine the use of airpower in the Pacific theater of war and compare it to the use of airpower in the European theater. Finally, I examine the legacy of the doctrine of combined arms warfare and its use in subsequent conflicts. Since the Second World War, airpower has been a consistent concern for military leaders. Its devastative potential, especially in the era of nuclear weapons, has made it an important concern with regard to offensive operations and defensive planning.
Analysis of the Origins of the Second World War
This paper was written for a class on the First and Second World Wars in Europe. In this paper, I examine and discuss A.J.P. Taylor’s book The Origins of the Second World War, in which Taylor agues against the common belief that the Second World War was the result of a plan on the part of Adolf Hitler and other top ranking Nazi party members. Instead, Taylor argues that there are other factors at play, including the balance of power in Europe and the Treaty of Versailles.
Contact
Email Address: azeppilli@outlook.com