First Meeting with Advisor

Yesterday I had my first meeting with my advisor. We discussed my question area, the next steps i am to take and the ways in which i can conduct my research.

Firstly, we discussed the possible areas i was going to focus on which were Human Rights, Guantanamo bay and Torture. Each topic mentioned is interlinked in some way, for example: there is evidence that Guantanamo Bay conducts torture which has implications on Human Rights. However, we recognised that my question would need to be much more focused otherwise there would be too much to cover and it would not all fit in.

For the majority of the meeting we focused on narrowing my question down.
For torture examples of questions were:

1. How effective is torture for the war on terror?
2. Can the use of torture be validated for the war on terror?
3. Can the western world validate torture for the war on terror?
4. Is torture viable when saving the fundamental human right to live? 
5. Can torture ever be justified?

The Guantanamo Bay related questions incorporate the torture question examples, they are just obviously more focused. Examples are:

1. Is torture at Guantanamo Bay effective?
2. Can torture at Guantanamo Bay be justified?

This discussion definitely gave me food for thought.  Thinking of a suitable question is my main priority.

We also discussed research. With my topic being such a controversial issue and being 'Top Secret' and 'Confidential' upon issues such as Guantanamo Bay, we both agreed that getting information on these topics would be difficult and mainly web-based.

My topic choices propose difficulties as the American Government try to disclose as much information as possible. The  'behind the scenes' workings of Guantanamo Bay are very questionable in the eyes of the public and therefore the information I find is objective and based on a opinion or as a result of the media which ultimately is a game of Chinese whispers. 

My information would be primarily web based. This is due to the fact that it is a current topic therefore there is new media always appearing. Also, many ex-detainees have been interviewed which has been posted online or through a documentary. 

There are also many groups that dedicate a lot of their work to Human rights such as: Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, both of which provide views on my topic areas. 

We also agreed that correspondence with journalists, writers or professionals will also be of great help as it would give a different dimension to my presentation rather than just focusing on newspaper articles and debates. 

My biggest challenge with research is the analysing of the sources that i will have to carry out, as the majority of sources are bound to be based on opinion and/or have some element of exaggeration through the media.

Lastly, we discussed that my next step would be writing a plan on my course of action which would allow me to work efficiently and set deadlines for my work which will make sure I am on top of my work load.