Preface

‘Change through Empathy’ - as both the title of this insightfuland moving volume and the guiding motto of the 20th Americas ModelUnited Nations (AMUN), this phrase has multi-dimensional significancein the context of contemporary political governance, analysisand action. Firstly, these words capture something vital about the ethos,practices and possibilities of international Model United Nations(MUN), and of the 20th AMUN in particular. Convened by students fromthe University of Brasilia, the AMUN has, for two decades, facilitatedengaging simulations of international organizations and political actorspromoting the values of the United Nations. As part of this immersiveprocess, students put themselves in the shoes of diplomats, journalists,heads of state, judges and other actors to grapple with a host of complexpolitical, social, cultural, economic and environmental issues. Indoing so, they draw on their critical knowledge and imaginative capacitiesto inhabit different political and ethical points of view and evento defend positions and policies unrelated to, or at odds with, theirown beliefs and opinions. In other words, AMUN participants learn tohone and exercise empathy as a vital affective tool in political analysis,debate and policy-making.