By Amy Patterson
I have advised Model United Nations teams since I first began teaching international politics many years ago. (Full disclosure: I did MUN in college.) Model UN participants play the role of an assigned country and debate UN issues. At national conferences, my students have represented diverse countries (South Africa, Colombia, Latvia, South Sudan, Ghana), and they have debated various topics (women’s rights, nuclear disarmament, biodiversity, AIDS). At Sewanee, students earn two credits in POLS 446 (Political Simulations) for their preparation for and participation in the American Model UN conference held each November in Chicago. Students need not be Politics majors.
(Ghana team at American Model UN, Chicago, November 2021)
Simulations in the Political Science Classroom (Routledge, 2022) shows that simulations have many benefits for teaching political science concepts through real-world events. But I think Model UN has some unique attributes as a simulation type. The simulation period is intense (eight- to ten- hour days as a conference delegate) and the stakes are high (over 100 schools attend). These facets help to emulate real diplomatic arenas. In addition, half of a student’s course grade is based on conference participation.
Model UN has several pedagogical advantages. First, it requires significant public speaking. This fall, my students have delivered two formal speeches, an extemporaneous speech, and a persuasive speech, and they have engaged in impromptu debates and informal negotiations (see photos). They have met with tutors from the Center for Speaking and Listening Center tutors twice, and I regularly quiz students orally on one another’s presentations, so as to promote careful listening. At the conference, students will use these skills to negotiate and pass resolutions.
Second, Model UN teaches students a new form of writing: the 500-word position paper. Rooted in extensive research, these papers articulate the country’s position on an assigned UN issue, refer to previous UN actions, and suggests new policies. Students must write efficiently and diplomatically, avoiding controversial positions and downplaying unpopular stances. Every phrase matters. As a collective, we spend significant time critiquing each other’s work to “get it right,” and all position papers are posted on the conference website. Peer review fosters collaboration among team members.
Third, Model UN requires students to diplomatically engage with sensitive topics from perspectives that are often not their own. For example, this year’s team represents Ethiopia, a country mired in a brutal civil war. The UN and human rights organizations have accused the Ethiopian government of targeting civilians and withholding food aid to the Tigray region. Students must represent this government on various UN General Assembly committees, including those debating the prevention of sexual violence by wartime factions, the human right to food, and the use of drones against civilians. We have read government documents to prepare, as well as academic analyses of Ethiopian politics. Playing this role is personally challenging, but students have gained appreciation for how the UN may address these tough issues.
At every Model UN conference, I am excited to watch my students deliver convincing speeches, negotiate to get their preferred wording in a resolution, and build consensus with others. After the conference, students complete a self-assessment and meet with me to discuss their learning. They always share nuanced insights about global cooperation, diplomacy, the UN, and their assigned country. This form of experiential learning makes deeper understanding of complex problems possible And that’s why, after all these years, I still love Model UN!
Students on the 2022 team practice caucusing skills for the upcoming national conference.
