Overview
Since the dawn of mankind, one of the most integral questions of human existence, the structure of the perfect society, has been hotly debated. Philosophers from culture to culture and era to era have sought to tackle this behemoth of an issue, and have yet to agree upon, if it is even possible, a unified version for humanity’s future. At this round table, delegates will be representing a diverse array of the most famous and influential philosophers from all over the globe and all across history, and must reconcile their vastly different worldviews to unite around a single utopia, a perfect society where all are alleviated from the pressures and pestilence of our current existence.
Topic: Designing Utopia
The term utopia comes from Thomas More’s book with the same title, combining the greek words for “no” and “place” it was meant to be a play on words for the unattainability of the concept. Utopias are representative of an ideal society or place and vary vastly throughout history and location. A major problem with many utopias is that they are placed so far removed from the contemporary world that they are near impossible to achieve without drastic changes that could result in dystopian actions. Although utopias are unattainable they do serve a valuable purpose, knowing what a society values in a utopia shows its current values and concerns. In that sense framing a utopian society lets us frame our society without present limitations. In a blank slate what do we create?
The Dais
Michael Tsegaye - Chair
Michael Tsegaye is a sophomore at Boston University's College of Arts and Sciences, studying International Relations with a minor in Japanese Language and Literature. His IR focuses include Foreign Policy and Security Studies, with a regional emphasis on Asia.
This will be Michael's second year staffing BosMUN, and he is excited to chair this Specialized Committee. He currently serves as Co-Head Delegate of BU's collegiate Model UN Travel Team, which is nationally ranked among the top five.
Although he did not participate in Model UN in high school, he quickly fell in love with it in college and will have competed at nine conferences (in both GA and Crisis formats) by the time BosMUN begins. He has experience across almost all that Model UN has to offer.
Michael will be looking for delegates who can effectively embody their assigned philosophers' beliefs and push their vision of Utopia throughout the three days of debate. He encourages delegates to prepare thoroughly and looks forward to seeing what they bring to the Round Table.
Contact: miketse@bu.edu
Charles Jackson - Vice Chair
Charles Jackson is a first-year student at Boston University, double majoring in Mechanical Engineering and International Affairs. He hails from Hopkinton, Massachusetts, the starting line of the Boston Marathon, and has a strong personal interest in history and diplomacy.
He has extensive experience with BosMUN, having attended the conference three times during high school, and deeply enjoyed his committees each year. He believes BosMUN consistently delivers well-developed and managed committees that stand above the competition.
Charles plays both ice hockey and crew and greatly enjoys discussing the Cold War or military technologies in his free time. He views history and diplomacy as forces that have profoundly shaped the globe over the centuries.
As Vice Chair, Charles is excited to finally offer delegates the great experiences and memories he was given. He looks forward to an intense but respectful debate, expecting delegates to push their unique philosophical views to create a model utopia.
Contact: jackson.char@northeastern.edu