It's about that time in the semester when I need to be deciding on topics for essays, and, gulp, for my dissertation. Admittingly, I'm a little bit behind in my coursework (due to essays from last term being due last week- I've started playing catch-up with my readings though!)... Now that the reading has begun in earnest, I'm starting to gather lists of potential topics.
The classes I'm in this semester are: Comparative Peace Processes, Religion and Conflict, and Project Management. In Comparative Peace Processes, we have two graded projects: a class presentation, and a final essay. I'm not thinking much about the essay yet as the presentation happens February 11th, and I want to be fully prepared for that. It's a group presentation on the situation in Darfur. I've been reading books, watching programs online (Frontline has a good program in their archives), and trying to get a better grasp of the implications of geography and how the international community has been involved (well, they haven't much been involved, which is a huge part of the problem). Those are the areas I'm focusing on for the presentation. It's interesting certainly, and important to develop skills in analysing conflicts, but wow is it depressing. The effects of the war crimes committed in this region of the world are nearly incomprehensible. Never again, the world said, after witnessing the Rwandan genocide. And yet, we allowed Darfur to happen, and the conflict is ongoing.
After such depressing study, I've decided that the essay I will be writing for the Religion class needs to be on a more uplifting topic. There are a few questions to choose from and within those there is plenty of leeway to find something a bit more optimistic. Not sure what yet, but I'll get there!
Back to depressing Darfur study I'm afraid. And a conference of Ambassadorial Scholars tomorrow in London- that should lift my spirits a bit!
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