Omar Al Mutawa
United Arab Emirates Youth Representative to the United Nations
Why did you choose the MA in Global Thought and how did it prepare you for your current position?
Globalization had been occurring for millennia, but the interconnectedness of our world has accelerated at an unprecedented rate in the past few decades. One of the major drivers of this is modern technology, which is transforming the global landscape for better or worse. As interconnectedness increases, so does our need to assess more and more factors to understand our world. These factors transcend the confines of traditional academic disciplines, urging us to adopt a holistic outlook—reality is never as compartmentalized as we’d like it to be.
This is what this degree aims to do. I had wanted to increase my understanding of globalization from a different lens—not just from an economic perspective but to entertain soft elements that some people tend to avoid because it’s outside their comfort zone.
I have been interested in global affairs since high school, starting from my Model United Nations career up to earning a degree in international studies / international relations as well as, at the moment, representing my country’s youth at the UN. Most global issues which require interdisciplinary (global) thought are raised in these contexts.
Describe a favorite MA in Global Thought course or project and how it helped your academic, professional, and/or personal growth.
I enjoyed all my courses. If I have to single one out, it would be the MA seminar. The discussions that took place, whether through coursework or face-to-face, helped me synthesize my thoughts.
I believe that is the true value of education. In an age where information is widely accessible online, the value of schools and universities lies in the human factor—the guidance exchanged, the provision of an enabling environment to prosper intellectually.