One thing I really struggled with when deciding what path I'd like to pursue in my tertiary education was whether I needed to choose between the humanitarian and science subjects I found interesting. Luckily, I had the privilege to study both.
I needed a sense of stability about my future. Computer Science (CS) was smart choice for me. I knew majoring in Data Science would give me great job opportunities after graduation. Coding in the modern day and age is a vital skill and this path of study would equip me well.
International Relations (IR) was a passion major for me. I wanted to explore the politics of the international realm, the different cultures, people, and issues. Having lived in four different countries while growing up (Canada, India, America, and Australia), I already felt like a global citizen. Studying IR just felt natural.
Majoring in both Data Science and International Relations gave me the best of both worlds. But, it is an odd pairing. For the first two years of my degree, I was very confused on what the middle ground between the two would look like. How do I use both my data science skills and international relations knowledge? What type of career will value both?
This semester I had an assignment that helped me discover an intersection between the two majors. In one of my IR subjects, I needed to argue for an important international issue to be discussed in the next United National General Assembly (UNGA). We had free rein to choose the issue. After digging around the different issues listed on the Millennium Project, I came across the idea of governing the cyberspace.
The cyberspace is the conceptual environment of networked and interconnected digital technologies around the world. With the invention of the Internet, the use of global information and communications technologies (ICTs) has been exponentially increasing. The question remains on how we govern the cyberspace to keep it a safe and positive space that works for everyone. With new threats like cybercrime or cyberterrorism, a new layer of international security needs to be addressed. But, it can only be addressed by people with the knowledge and skills of both CS and IR.
Below is the 8 minute vlog I created for the assignment that addresses:
- The background of the issue
- The main actors involved and their positions
- Why the issue is important and relevant to the UNGA
- Possible resolutions for the problems that arise with the issue
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