The interconnectivity of an unfair world
- Savia, Upper VI
The world we live in today has become hugely interconnected, relying greatly on modern globalisation to bring about economic, social and scientific progression. When we are in political turmoil, in which international relations are unstable, science often acts as a neutraliser. It acts apolitically uniting otherwise divided countries.
However, if these divisions become too great would this be mirrored in a segregated approach to science? Here, political differences would halt scientific progress resulting in countries disadvantaged by their own reliance on internal knowledge - no new theories and research external to its own could be explored. This would hugely morph the way science would develop and lead it to stagnation, leaving holes in research. Fortunately, this has not happened; instead governments are uniting in their attempts to further science, providing even more evidence to show the interconnectivity of the world.
This has become so prevelant that the new term ‘science diplomacy’ has been coined to name scientific collaboration between various nations to address common issues. When utilised it can be immensely beneficial, for example the US and Cuba are partnered together in cancer research. These two countries have otherwise icy relations with one another. Which originate from 1959, when Castro (a dictator) was in control of Cuba and overthrew a US endorsed government. Cuba-US
relations have since been strained, worsening significantly under Trump’s presidency when he devised policies which negatively impacted the Cuban economy. Despite these strains they have managed to agree to work together to help research cancer. This was agreed in 2014, and they have since elongated their collaboration to continue until 2027. In cases such as this, it is evident that even in the midst of political disagreement countries can also see that by working together they are more likely to achieve their common goalin this case, to research cancer and ultimately find its cure.
This however draws into question a state’s political integrity. Is the US taking advantage of the way in which collaboration can be used to progress science? They are using it to hasten the search for a cure for cancer, whilst also implementing economic and trade policies which are detrimental to Cuba’s economy, is this not hypocritical? Leading us to question who the interconnectivity of the world benefits?
