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Essay / A report on Ralph Bunche: The Skilled Negotiator
In Profiles of Courage, John F. Kennedy says: “To be courageous, these stories make it clear that it requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula, no special combination of time, place and circumstance. It is an opportunity that, sooner or later, presents itself to all of us. Politics provides only one space that imposes particular tests of courage.” For Ralph Bunche, the political moment that showcased his unique skills as a negotiator and peacemaker occurred in 1949 on the Greek island of Rhodes, when he met with members of the Israeli delegations and Egyptian. Before we understand his impact as a skilled negotiator and peacemaker on the international stage, we must explore his upbringing. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Bunche was raised by his maternal grandmother in Los Angeles after his parents died. Undoubtedly, his grandmother's resilience and wisdom had a significant impact on Bunche's future negotiator. Later in his life, he would explain: “To move forward, we must demonstrate determination, perseverance and tenacity. We must prepare to work hard until the end. We can never let go.” Influenced by his grandmother's strong will, he demonstrated these values throughout his high school education, being known as an expert debater and being named valedictorian of his class. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Because Bunche was also the grandson of a slave and because of his own experience with racism, his concerns about race relations broadened. This background likely influenced his experiences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned an athletic scholarship and pursued a degree in international relations, from which he graduated in 1927. His graduation speech of studies provides an overview of his philosophy of peace in which he commented: "The future peace and harmony of the world depends on our ability, yours and mine, to provide a remedy." Bunche's philosophy on race relations and peace would put him on the path to earning a graduate degree in political science from Harvard University and open doors for him to teach at Harvard and Howard University. While teaching at Howard, he became one of the leaders of a group of black scholars known as the "Young Turks." The perspective of the Young Turks was primarily focused on race which distinguished them from others. They also argued that issues of “class, not race,” were essential to solving the “Negro problem.” Bunche's experiences as a student, teacher, and scholar broadened his awareness of colonialism, or a nation's possession or control over a colony. According to Bunche, William J. Donovan recruited academic experts to work with the United States Office of Strategic Services. Bunche was recruited because of his knowledge of Africa, Far Eastern and colonial affairs and his advocacy of decolonization. After working for the United Nations from June 1947, he was given the first major task of his career, the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, which pitted the newly declared State of Israel against a military coalition of states. Arabs for control of the former British territory. Palestine. The clash between Jews and Arabs intensified in 1948, so Bunche was assigned to the mediator, Count Folke Bernadotte, as his main assistant. As fate would have it, Bunche, who declared that “all my..