Benjamin Spacapan is a graduate student at Harvard University pursuing both an MBA and a JD. In addition, Benjamin Spacapan studied history at Princeton University and holds a special interest in foreign policy and international affairs.
Entering the world of international relations takes time and a lot of work. If you want a deep understanding of how countries and their populations interact, there are a few areas of study that will help substantially. First and foremost, any aspiring foreign policy expert should know the history of their selected area. Historical context matters more than perhaps any other single thing, and finding the right people to learn it from is crucial.
Another important area of study is statistics. Here too, serious students will have a basic understanding of the concepts, but more than that is required to understand the nuanced decisions and their consequences on the world stage. Statistics is baked into the language of foreign policy so much that without a working knowledge, it’s almost impossible to make a meaningful contribution in the field.
