Madison Lowry-Schiller

Assignment 4

Prompt: What connections did you see between the interdisciplinary nature of this Global
Challenges discussion and a global challenge you seek to address? What interdisciplinary
approaches might you take in your education and/or your personal actions to make that issue real
and personal for you?
One of the global challenges that I am most interested in addressing is the issue of
immigration and asylum for individuals from nations where human rights and other unalienable
rights have been compromised. This issue is clearly interdisciplinary because it requires the
cooperation of lawmakers with the governments of multiple countries, as well as border control
and geographers who may study the movement of people. Sociology is also relevant to the topic
because it could provide insight into the effects of immigration on societies. Government
agencies must be involved to regulate the funds necessary to care for those who are seeking
asylum, and states must offer up areas for refugees where they can be protected.
There are also many conflicting interests of the public on whether or not refugees should
be accepted into the United States, as well as the number of refugees that should be accepted.
Many Americans fear that refugees will reduce the number of available jobs, or will take
advantage of the welfare systems in place without contributing to them, which will result in a
loss of resources available to Americans.
The issue of asylum and immigration is one that is important to be because I value the
rights of individuals throughout the world and I hope for a world where all individuals are treated
with respect and are given the opportunity to have an impact on their government and to control
the manner in which policy is implemented. I hope for a world where human rights are enforced
in all countries, and a world in which all individuals are treated with equality and all individuals
are able to realize their dreams. While these goals may be unrealistic in our current timeframe,
one of my main reasons for attending the University of Washington is to gain the status and
knowledge necessary so that I myself can make an impact and a difference in some area so that I
can contribute to these goals and better the world as a whole.
In my Autumn Quarter, I took an Introduction to American Law class, which gave me
insight into the importance of law making and Supreme Court decisions, and allowed me to see
the interdisciplinary nature of immigration beyond simple Government legislation. There is also
scientific information that can be relevant to immigration, and research conducted regarding
population and other qualitative data can important in determining the success or failure of
different immigration or asylum programs when they are implemented.
In the Global Challenges discussion, it was demonstrated that the issue of global warming
is more than just an issue to be tackled by climate scientists it is an issue relevant to
lawmakers, journalists, and everyday individuals with no bearing or even understanding of the
complex science involved in climate change. In a similar way, the issue of immigration is an
interdisciplinary issue that requires the involvement of individuals from all different areas of
study. In order for an issue to be resolved, it requires the cooperation of individuals who can

conduct research to determine facts, individuals to effectively communicate those facts and a
public to respond to those facts. All of these individuals must work together to solve the problem
in a way that results in the best outcome for all citizens.