cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/484594
Hey everyone! As some of you may know, I’ve finally started university this month and am pursuing Psychology and Political Science. My PoliSci professor mentioned we have a model UN club that even goes to the actual UN in New York!
The problem is I have to fill out a registration form listing 3 countries I’d like to represent, I also have to submit a one-page position paper, and a 90 second speech about climate change.
I’m asking here because I’d like your input on what countries to list and how to go about my position paper. They’re kind of vague on details about how to write said paper so I thought I’d look for guidance here since you’ve all been somewhat of a rock for me. I feel safe and balanced here especially since school is full of well meaning libs. I have horrible debilitating anxiety and I’m sort of throwing myself into the fire but I feel it’s necessary for my journey into fighting misinformation and red-scare propaganda.
I want to take advantage of the resources available to me that many are barred from accessing.
So yeah, that’s my whole thing haha. If you have any advice for dealing with the anxiety especially when it comes to debates I’d be incredibly grateful.
Will be cross posting this to freechat as I’m unsure if this fits here.
I’m a bit busy at work at the moment but my top 3 i’d choose would be China, Belarus and Cuba, that being said Laos, Nicaragua, Vietnam, DPRK, Palestine and a few others would be cool to choose
Belarus was actually one of the countries I was considering!
Most people don’t even know the name “Belarus” so that’s a huge win for subverting liberal bias, preconceptions and ugly narratives (e.g. Xinjiang w China). And they’re (IMO) about as close as you can get to a socialist state without actually being one.
All the others that aren’t China or the DPRK similarly go under the radar for most libs.
https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.13169/worlrevipoliecon.11.4.0428 If you have time to skim through this, you may be able to use some of this info, assuming you cite your sources accordingly. Chinese Economists studied Belarus’s economic and governmental structure and analysed the viability of their Market Socialist policies. I haven’t finished reading it because I have so many random dumb questions that I google that I rarely get around to reading it but it’s always open in a tab and I slowly scroll through it every now and then and the info is top-notch
Ireland, Serbia or Nicaragua could be interesting choices, and won’t risk you getting flagged as an “Evil Commie”.
For your speech anxiety, it might sound a bit cliché, but the anxiety of presenting and speaking is much more worse during the buildup then the actual presentation. So getting over that buildup hump and getting the first word out of your mouth is the best thing you can do. At that point, even if you’re very anxious, you will most likely begin to “autopilot”. Yes it won’t be beautiful when you start, but the more you speak the better you will get, which happens very quickly! You’ve got this!
Also preparation is your savior. You don’t even need to write out every word of what you want to say in a giant essay when you start. Even just basic notes, and research will be your lifeblood.
In general though, a model UN club sounds very interesting! Even with the liberal sentiment that is bound to ooze out of a club like that, it seems like a decent place to express ML sentiment and maybe even meet likeminded people!
Still disappointed that my small forgotten college doesn’t have any clubs like that. Or very many at all for that matter.
I’m really lucky to have these opportunities so I want to take advantage of as many of them as I can. I’m definitely going to practice my speaking and debate skills with my dogs haha
I’ve done MUN at the “middle” and “high” school levels (in quotes because we don’t call them that). I am sure that it may as well be different at university, and I am by no means saying you shouldn’t do it - as someone also very socially anxious, taking opportunities for public speaking is always good! - but I want to temper your expectations a little bit.
In my experience, Model UN is for those with petty bourgeois and labour aristocrat inclinations and amount little to actual and insightful discourse.
This may be due to the age of the participants, but Model UN was really nothing more than just a glorified social gathering and CV booster. People are more obsessed with fulfilling their designated country’s caricatures and create ‘drama’ rather than discuss anything meaningfully. This may vary with the size of the event. There are high profile international MUNs, which I expect is taken more seriously.
Again, don’t get me wrong, it’s still a good experience for learning how certain UN bodies work and social skills, but don’t take it too seriously at the same time. Make sure to socialise, as not only will it get really boring, but your anxiety will spike if you never participate in any of the debates, opening speeches or caucuses.
As for the position paper, a good start would be to see how your chosen country voted through key resolutions related to your topic. From your description, it seems like it’s something related to climate change?
I would say at least look at the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement as good starters. It should be noted that a “background guide” is usually given, tailored towards the specific committee and topic you will be under.
To think about it broadly, a position paper gives the context and specific solutions/clauses you would look for in a resolution. That means specifying your own country’s position, the context behind your country’s position and why it affects your country, and as mentioned before, the proposed solutions.
As for countries, smaller/lesser known countries are always a good choice.
No offense but this sounds like countryball larping, what a nightmare. And without any theatre kids to make it fun.
That’s actually a hilariously apt way to describe it.
Considering the whole point is to act as delegates and have to follow standard “UN speak” (eg. no personal pronouns) really hammers home the larping bit.
Larping but there’s a trip to New York included.
Thank you so much for the insight! I don’t know what to expect if I get in, but this at least helps me adjust my expectations. I want to do the club because I really need help with my anxiety and debate skills, I figured since I want to be in politics this club would help “toughen” me up. There’s also a trip to the actual UN in New York and that sounds neat.
The position paper advice is very helpful and gives me a good foundation to start with so thank you for that. Smaller/“lesser known”/not-as-liked countries are ones I’ve been looking at since it might increase my chances.
