NEW DELHI: Portia B Conrad, 22, is pursuing her Masters in political science at St Joseph's College, Bangalore. She shares her experience as a summer intern with the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi.
As part of our political science course requirement, we get an opportunity to work as summer interns in think-tanks across the country. I interned at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), New Delhi, for two months in an effort to know the larger research community and enhance my area of interest.
In Bangalore, eminent personalities from policy-making, bureaucratic, academic and scientific communities are invited to share their perspective on relevant themes in our college. We are often encouraged by the faculty to take the initiative to organise these lectures. This prepared me for bigger events that would take place at the IPCS. There, I was a member of the Nuclear Security Programme (NSP); and as part of my administrative work I was able to organise the discussion on 'Pakistan Elections 2013.' I was also the editor of the quarterly (July-September) that the NSP team publishes, and a rapporteur for some of the events.
After every event, I seized the opportunity to personally interact with scholars from my research area. I also had the advantage to interview a number of scholars specialising on Pakistan. I also met various scholars specialising in different fields of international relations. I also visited libraries at JNU, Institute of Defense Strategic Analysis (IDSA) and Jamia Millia Islamia University, which helped in my research paper.
It is mandatory for all researchers at the IPCS to publish at least two commentaries based on our area of interest. During my internship, the landmark democratic elections in Pakistan were in progress. This enabled me to write four articles on the event, each with a different perspective. I explored various research methodologies to write these short articles. A thorough reading of four Pakistani newspapers for over three months guided me.
My 'big' assignment during the internship was to publish a research paper on 'Sub-nationalism in Pakistan.' I intend to develop on this research paper while writing my postgraduate dissertation. Such experiences are strong training grounds for those who may want to pursue a career in academics.
What I also learnt from this internship experience was the practical side of life. I realised how important attitude is, the necessity to draw a line between professional and personal space and how the research community functions.
As part of our political science course requirement, we get an opportunity to work as summer interns in think-tanks across the country. I interned at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), New Delhi, for two months in an effort to know the larger research community and enhance my area of interest.
In Bangalore, eminent personalities from policy-making, bureaucratic, academic and scientific communities are invited to share their perspective on relevant themes in our college. We are often encouraged by the faculty to take the initiative to organise these lectures. This prepared me for bigger events that would take place at the IPCS. There, I was a member of the Nuclear Security Programme (NSP); and as part of my administrative work I was able to organise the discussion on 'Pakistan Elections 2013.' I was also the editor of the quarterly (July-September) that the NSP team publishes, and a rapporteur for some of the events.
After every event, I seized the opportunity to personally interact with scholars from my research area. I also had the advantage to interview a number of scholars specialising on Pakistan. I also met various scholars specialising in different fields of international relations. I also visited libraries at JNU, Institute of Defense Strategic Analysis (IDSA) and Jamia Millia Islamia University, which helped in my research paper.
It is mandatory for all researchers at the IPCS to publish at least two commentaries based on our area of interest. During my internship, the landmark democratic elections in Pakistan were in progress. This enabled me to write four articles on the event, each with a different perspective. I explored various research methodologies to write these short articles. A thorough reading of four Pakistani newspapers for over three months guided me.
My 'big' assignment during the internship was to publish a research paper on 'Sub-nationalism in Pakistan.' I intend to develop on this research paper while writing my postgraduate dissertation. Such experiences are strong training grounds for those who may want to pursue a career in academics.
What I also learnt from this internship experience was the practical side of life. I realised how important attitude is, the necessity to draw a line between professional and personal space and how the research community functions.
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