On Tuesday, September 5, 2017, I met with my faculty mentor, Professor Simon Nicholson for approximately forty minutes. Professor Nicholson is the director of the Global Environmental Politics Program at SIS. He and I discussed the general theme of my research interest; environmental sustainability. Professor Nicholson immediately reassured me that there are plenty of puzzles that are looking to be “answered” within this theme. We both agreed that my proposed topic, understanding the implications of plastic pollution, is more of a research report rather than a puzzle within international relations. I established that I do not feel tied to this question because I have a wide variety of interest within this theme.
With this in mind, Professor Nicholson asked me to write out 30-40 questions I have in regards to environmental sustainability. This exercise should help me narrow down a theme and then eventually a research puzzle. My interests range from climate change, pollution, deforestation, and sustainable development. To what degree can developed countries influence sustainable development practices in the global south? I have also become curious about culture and environment. How does culture affect the way people think about their relationship with the environment? How has culture over time changed our perception? These are just a couple of broad questions that came to mind during our meeting. I have already started my questions and noticed a trend towards my curiosity of sustainable development. As I move forward with my questions, I need to be meticulous about digging deeper into each question I have already proposed. My main concern is narrowing down a theme in a timely manner so that I may begin reading material on basic concepts and the background of my topic. I know that there are puzzles out there, it is just a matter of finding one that I am passionate about, can perform ethical research on, and complete within the expected time frame.
Overall it sounds like you had a very productive first meeting, Zainab! I like the fact that you’re open to revising your initial thoughts, and that in working with Dr. Nicholson you are continuing to focus your interests into a research puzzle. Although I know that it seems like you are facing a whole bunch of confusing choices right now, remember that the purpose of our course material and our discussions in 206 is to help you navigate these choices. And, you don’t have to be making any final choices just yet! Keep thinking about the connections between our course material and the reading/thinking you do on your own topic, and hopefully you will gain a better sense of how you will manage the choices/tradeoffs that are part of the research process as we go through 206. Lastly, remember that you can always stop by office hours if you have questions!