This class has changed my perspective on the multitude of ways in which world politics can be approached, especially when thinking about theory. Before the class, I saw politics from my own perspective, and at times tried to consider others, but the concept of political theory wasn’t one I had ever explored. While I enjoyed seeing the ways in which theory tries to consolidate perspectives into categories such as Realist and Liberal, I still find politics a little too complex to be able to slot my own thoughts into either category.
The Benghazi project, in particular, made me acutely aware of how dependent I am on American and Western media to receive my news. I found it extremely difficult to find international sources outside of my comfort zone. In the future, I will need to make a more intentional effort to seek out alternate and broader sources. I feel that I am knowledgeable of events that directly affect me and those that are covered in mainstream American and European media. I do not, however, have a satisfactory understanding or knowledge of international issues, specifically African, Asian, and South American issues. Those are incredibly large and significant parts of the world, so it is very regrettable that I do not know more about them.
The Benghazi Project also expanded my understanding of politics in the Middle East and North Africa. As these governments and political environments are wholly unfamiliar to me, I had to stretch my understandings in order to complete the project thoroughly. It also built upon my basic knowledge of the events of the Arab Spring, which I now know more about.
I do feel confident in my ability to evaluate the value and quality of a source. In this project, I tried to reach out to some sources I have never used before, such as government documents, but still found myself reaching for more familiar outlets such as the Times. Once again, in this area, I see that I have difficulty evaluating non-western sources because I find it more challenging to identify possible biases because I am unfamiliar with the politics and culture of non-western countries. I think that my confidence in finding good sources was fairly high before beginning the course, so I don’t think it has raised any this semester. From listening to SERIAL, though, I have begun to more greatly appreciate the value of a variety of types of sources, such as maps, interviews, and documents. These pieces of the podcasts were so helpful but also contributed to the level of reporting that was so high in SERIAL.
I feel that the topics covered in the course, coupled with the Benghazi Project and podcast responses, have influenced me to become more engaged in global affairs. Now, I find myself making connections between events and people that I would have never realized before. By gaining even a little bit more knowledge in unfamiliar political environments, I am able to explore more complex issues with more comfort and insight. Overall, the course was incredibly beneficial for developing my political thought.
