The Harvard International Review is a quarterly magazine offering insight on international affairs from the perspectives of scholars, leaders, and policymakers. Since our founding in 1979, we've set out to bridge the worlds of academia and policy through outstanding writing and editorial selection.
The quality of our content is unparalleled. Each issue of the Harvard International Review includes exclusive interviews and editorials by leading international figures along with expert staff analysis of critical international issues. We have featured commentary by 43 Presidents and Prime Ministers, 4 Secretaries-General, 4 Nobel Economics Prize laureates, and 7 Nobel Peace Prize laureates.
Inspired by our growing high school readership around the world, we created the Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest to encourage and highlight outstanding high school writing on topics related to international affairs.
Congratulations to all Summer 2023 medal winners on the quality of your submissions!
Gold Medal
Ashley Malkin. Greenwich High School. “The Right to Your Own Thoughts: Inside the Push for Neurorights”
Keven Pi. St. George's School. “Decolonizing the Vaccine: South Africa’s mRNA Hub”
SHU-AN PAN. Kang Chiao International School Linkou Campus. “When Taiwan Builds Its Own Submarines”
Ryan Modarres. King's College School, Wimbledon. “Self-Sovereignty: The Potential for Blockchain Technology to Empower Stateless Individuals”
Hongru Ye. Keystone Academy. “Bridging the Digital Divide: Nigeria's Journey towards a Connected Future”
Christina Ren-Hua Lee. Taipei Fuhsing Private School. “From Viral Trends to NationalConcerns: The Impact of TikTok on Security”
DoGyoung Han. St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju. “South Korea’s Semiconductor Industry: Stuck between Two Titans”
Justine Reimon Villanueva. University of the Philippines Rural High School. “How SMRs are Jump-Starting Nuclear Progress in Southeast Asia”
Cai Li. Dulwich College Beijing. “A New Space Race: How the Artemis Program Could Stoke Geopolitical Tensions”
Yifei Tang. Shanghai United International School Pudong-Sanlin Campus. “E-Commerce Driving Rural Progress: A Case Study of Zhejiang Province, China”
Zhenfeng Zhang. Qingdao Academy. “From Connectivity to Controversy: Starlink's Breakthroughs and the Ethical Dilemma”
Aoi Nakata. Senzoku Gakuen High School. “Freight and Fraught: Food Security”
Jun Er Fong. Raffles Institution.“Technology, Crime, and China-Southeast Asian Relations”
Ashley Dong. Northern Secondary School. “K-pop Diplomacy: South Korea’s Cultural Ascendancy through Digital Media”
Fei Xia. Mont Kiara International School. “Bioconcrete: Addressing the Cracks in the Construction Industry”
Li Leshan. The Affiliated International School of Shenzhen University. “AI Minesweepers: Can New Technology Clear Millions of Landmines?”
Ziqing Liu. Shanghai Pinghe Bilingual School Qingpu. “Neglected Disturbances from the Semiconductor War”
Zhonghan Liu. Shanghai Southwest Weiyu Middle School. “Sip with Purpose: Decoding the Global Coffee Trade Unfairness”
Ziming Shi. Keystone Academy. “Boon or Bane: The Dual Faces of Esports and Gaming in China”
Zhangzhixuan Wang. Shanghai Pinghe School. “Beyond Video Games: Virtual Reality Revolutionizing Military Training for Enhanced Combat Capabilities and Civilian Resilience”
Dylan Hyun Oh. Chadwick International School. “Geoengineering as Geopolitics: Solar Radiation Climate engineering and the Global Distribution of Harms and Benefits”
Chelsea Guo. Lynbrook High School. “M-Pesa: How Mobile Currency Platforms are Balancing the Gender Equation”
Silver Medal
Yueran Ma. Shanghai Experimental School. “Gutter Oil in the Air”
Lu Shangyi. Beijing National Day School. “A Better or Bitter Pill? The Global AI Health Care Revolution”
Seoyoun Lee. Seoul Foreign School. “Can VPNs Help Restore Female Empowerment and Autonomy in Bahrain?”
Meiqi Yuan.Keystone Academy. “The Role of Technology in Assisting Hard of Hearing Individuals: Hopes and Challenges”
Joy Hu. The Harker School. “PeeTheChange: Sustainable Fertilization with Urine”
Victor Ni. Canberra Grammar School. “The Renewable Paradox: China’s Essential Role in the Gulf States’ Energy Transition”
Amy Shin. Chadwick International. “Digital Phenotyping: A Paradigm Shift in Mental Health Care”
Siying He. UWC Changshu China. “Decentralized Platform for Journalists: Emancipator or Touchstone”
Ethan Phoenix Zhou. Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science. “Shared Frontlines: Combating Cybercrime and Related Human Trafficking in a Connected World”
Yaejoon Jung. Phillips Academy Andover. “Telemedicine’s Achilles’ Heel: Privacy Concerns in Digital Healthcare”
Yuxi Zhang. High School Attached to Shandong Normal University. “Newborn Screening Program: Necessity and Difficulty in India”
Junseo Lee. Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School. “From Sanctions to Satoshis: Will Crypto Kill Economic Sanctions?”
Sien Wang. The Masters School. “Silent Sands: Unveiling the Dark Secrets of the Global Sand Trade”
Han Xuqian Ben. ISF Academy. “Digital Education in Slums: The Struggle for Access and Equality in Kenya's Informal Settlements”
Wanfei Liu. Beijing 101 High School. “Behind Trenches of Wars: Roles of Technologies in Facilitating Education of Refugee Children”
Zifan Feng. Beijing National Day School. “Addressing the Threat of Killer Robots: The Meaninglessness in Meaningful Human Control”
Jihoon Ryu. Daegu International School. “Escalating Tech War in the Chip Industry”
Kevin Kecheng Huang, Allen Yitian Shan. Tsinghua International School. “Electric Motorcycles: The inconspicuous way of environmental protection in Africa”
Ziqian Wu. Ulink College of Shanghai. “The Ethical Quandary of Artificial Intelligence: Unveiling the Hidden Human Cost”
Muqi Li. Shenzhen College of International Education. “Misleading Reputations: The Online Commercialization of Ethnic Minority Products”
Yi Yu. Beijing Haidian Kaiwen Academy. “Drones in Modern Warfare: A Paradigm Shift in Military Strategy and Military-Civil Fusion (MCF)”
Yachen Wang. Shanghai United International School, Gubei Campus. “The Paradox of High-tech Weaponry: Enhanced Accuracy, Yet More Damage to Civilians”
Yaran Zhou. Tsinghua International School. “Shifting Grounds: Emerging Technologies in the 2023 Türkiye-Syria Earthquakes Relief”
Daniel Liu, Johnny Chung Hin Li. Hong Kong International School.“A Starlink between Space and Telecommunication in the Face of War and Disaster”
Sijun Li. The High School Affliated to Renmin University of China.“The Rise of AI in Healthcare: Innovations, Challenges, and Ethics”
Sarah Huang. Shanghai American School Puxi Campus. “The Advent of Artificial Intelligence as a Tool for Language Preservation”
Wayne Guang-Yong Liang. Sir Winston Churchill Secondary. “Sub-Zero Software: Russian Submarines, American Drones, and Arctic AI”
Linfeng Zhou. Basis International School Park Lane Harbor. ““Blood Phones”: Why Technological Advancement Continues to Bring Misery to the DRC”
Shuhan Lyu. Canadian Academy Kobe. “The Digital Equation: Technological Advancements in Kazakhstan Advancing Women’s Rights”
Taylor (Ruiting) Ye. Windermere Preparatory School. “AI and Indigenous Wisdom: Bridging Knowledge for Arctic Climate Solutions”
Xiaoshu Zhu. United World College Changshu China. “Technological Attempts in Taiwan’s Indigenous Communities: Challenges and Opportunities”
Muzeng Huang. Benenden School. “From Skies to Battlefields: The Prowess and Pitfalls of Military Drones”
Daehyun Ko. CheongShim International Academy. “Lagging Behind: Africa’s Struggles Amid the AI Boom”
Yeonwoo Choi. BIS Christian Education. “The Digital Currency Dilemma”
Wen-I Chiang, Yan Yin Wu. Pu tai Senior High School. “World Future: Combination of STEM Education with Liberal Arts Studies”
Yuyue Gong. Beijing International Bilingual Academy. “AI Surveillance and Global Human Rights Concerns”
Audrey Zhang. Groton School. “Reviving History Through Technology: Bridging Past and Present in the Digital Age”
Jiah Lee. Shanghai Community International School. “Iron-Air Batteries: Unlocking a New Era of Sustainable Power”
Yiwen Lei. Zhengzhou Foreign Language School. “Navigating the Crossroads: The Impact of Technology on Career and Major Choices”
Yijia Li. Charterhouse School. “Europe's Future Green Powerhouse: the North Sea's Ambitious Offshore Wind Projects and Their Environmental Implications”
Hao-Hsuan Hsu. Kang Chiao International School Linkou Campus. “Social Media and the Regional Revitalization of Kinmen: How Do Returning Youths Reinvigorate Post-militarized Kinmen?”
Sofia Cina. St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic High School. “Agrivoltaics: the Perfect Marriage of Food and Energy
Christina Zhao. Branksome Hall. “Revolutionizing Global Education: Will AI End Education Inequality?”
Juncheng Wang. Shanghai World Foreign Language Academy. “Driving Forward: France’s Automatic Vehicles Industry”
Yanzhou Chen. Shanghai YKPao School. “A Body Disconnected: AI Technology in the Diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder”
Wentao Zhao. Guang Hua Cambridge International School. “How 3D Printing Shapes Our World”
Mengyuan Zhao. 'Iolani School. ““ReGen Villages”: How AI is Being Used to Build Societies that Solve Climate Change”
Guo Jiajie. Shanghai High School International Division.“Could the Rise of China’s E-sports Transform its Soft Power Strategy?”
Xinyan Li. Chengdu Foreign Languages School - AP Center. “Tackling Refugee Identity Crisis: Self-Sovereign Identity Technology”
Moqing Chi. Shanghai Starriver Bilingual School. “Technology in Education for Sub-Saharan Africa: Transformative Effects or Futile Efforts”
Oliver Zhang. Strake Jesuit College Preparatory. “Powering a Paradigm Shift: ASEAN’s Approach to Public Policy for Green Data Centers”
Wei-Li Wang. Taipei Fuhsing Private School. “From Devices to Disposal: The E-Waste Crisis”
Maria Zhou. Sendelta International Academy. “Delayed Menopause and Egg Freezing--Life-changing Biotechnology for Women”
Bronze Medal
Hanzhen Teng. The Kiski School. “From Libya to Ukraine: AI Drones Redefining Military Landscape in Modern Conflicts”
Qimo Zhang. Xi'an Tie Yi High School. “Beidou Navigation Satellite System: China’s Calling Card in Global Tech Dominance”
Xuanming Qi. The Webb Schools. “After Fukushima: Redefining Safety for Nuclear Power”
Yilin Yao. UWC Atlantic College. “Behind the Craze for SMR Nuclear Power Plants”
Ruicheng Jiang. Shanghai Foreign Language School Affiliated to SISU. “Use Technology to Solve Remittance Issues of Egyptian Foreign Labor”
Casey Jung. Dulwich College School. “E-Bikes: Transforming Mobility, Connectivity, and Independence for the Elderly”
Andrea Jung Hsia. Taipei Fuhsing Private School. “China: Their Tentative Future in the Semiconductor Industry”
Szu-Ying(Nina) Wang. Taipei European School. “Roadblocks to Implementation: Bangladesh's E-Waste Regulation Still in Limbo”
Jiaxu Liu. Hangzhou Foreign Language School. “A World Without Gridlock: Columbia’s Solution to Modern Traffic Problems”
Hanson Wen. Harrow International School HongKong. “Free Crypto in Kenya: Privacy Concern or Universal Basic Income?”
Charlene Chang. Taipei Fuhsing Private School. “The Modern Drug: Social Media Addiction among Adolescents”
Andy Zhang. Shenzhen College of International Education. “Technology Empowers Poverty Alleviation in China: The Joint Efforts of TikTok, Government, and Agricultural Live Stream”
Lillian Xue. Branksome Hall. “Facing the Future: The Evolving Uses and Regulations of Facial Recognition Technology”
Jiang Xindi. Dulwich College Beijing. “Safeguarding Futures: The Role of Technology in Combating Child Trafficking”
Jennifer Choi. Chadwick International. “The Fukushima Wastewater Crisis: Will Iron Man Come to the Rescue?”
Yumeng Wang. Choate Rosemary Hall. “Faces of AI: Unveiling Racial Bias and its Threat to Human Rights”
Zhang Zhiyue. University High School (irvine). “Neural Frontiers: Espionage, National Security, and the Ethical Imperative of Brain-Computer Interface Technology”
Chuyue Wang. Nanjing Foreign Language School. “A Port, a Net: Navigating the Ups and Downs of Northeast China Industrial Base”
Zixuan Hong. BASIS International School of Guangzhou. “US-China Tech War: A Lose-Lose for All”
Zijie Zheng. Shanghai Guanghua Cambridge International School. “Space Debris: International Solutions to a Growing Problem”
Yunxin Liu. Admiral Farragut Academy Tianjin. “Digitized World: Unraveling the Advantages and Navigating New Challenge of the Digital Rupee”
Le Li. Shenzhen Middle School. “The Development of AI Multimodality and the Outlook for Extraordinary Human Immortality”
Zijie Shu. Suzhou North America International High School. “A Japanese Monk’s New Role as a Musician: How Digital Transformation is Reshaping Zen Buddhism”
Xinlan Wang. Shanghai World Foreign Language Academy. “Social media (SM) has boosted the career prospects of Pakistani women”
Runshi Wu. Shanghai World Foreign Language Academy. “Artificial Intelligence: a Renaissance or Revolution?”
Ke Xu. UWC Changshu China. “Electric Vehicles: An Environmental Paradox”
Shaoyu Chen. Beijing National Day School. “The ICT development in South Africa”
Zhao Jiali. Maumee Valley Country Day School. “The Role of AI Technology in the Israeli-Hamas Battlefield”
Jin Rui. Hangzhou Foreign Languages School. “New Treatments for Alzheimer’s, But Not for Everyone: Access to New Alzheimer’s Drugs Lagging in Africa”
Junhang Zhou. Shenzhen Middle School. “JusticeGPT: A Balancing Act of Security and Ethics”
Yilin Mo. Guangdong Country Garden School. “Increasing Global Financial Inclusion Via Next Generation Cross-Border Payment Systems”
Zihan Yang, Zhangyi Hou. Globe Cambridge High School. “Global Echoes in China's Technological Symbiosis with Heritage”
Wei Si. Shanghai Pinghe School. “The Aging Population: Insufficient Password Security Among the Old”
Jun-Min Liao, Hung-Ming Liao. Pu Tai Senior High School. “Information vulnerabilities and information security threats brought by 5G network applications”
Zhenpeng Wen. Shenzhen Nanshan Huitong School. “Is Artificial Intelligence Bridging the Divide or Widening the Educational Gap?”
Jui Ting Feng, Hsiang Ling Lu. Pu Tai Senior High School. “Doses and Dominance: Weaponization of Vaccine Technology in the China-Taiwan Rivalry”
Yuechen Xiao. Shenzhen Foreign Language School. “Challenges of Applying Information and Communication Technology in Refugee Crisis”
Keyu Hu. BASIS International School Hangzhou. “Museum Accessibility: The Role of Interactive Technologies for Visitors with Hearing Loss”
Hengrui Zhu. BASIS International School Park Lane Harbour. “Swipe Right on Humanity: Matching Systems for EU's Refugees”
Xinyi Mao. St Swithun's School. “Virtual Court: A Transformation in Legal Proceedings”
Yue Fan Chen. Hangzhou International School. “Who Gets Access To a Longer Life? Issues in Longevity Technology Distribution”
She Minghui. Shanghai Starriver Bilingual School. “Advances in 3D Printing: Hidden Risks in the Democratization of Production”
Yuchen Luo. Shanghai American School Puxi. “Japan's Solution for Sustaining Economic Prosperity Amidst Global Aging”
Carrie Wang. Concordia International School Shanghai. “A Blessing or a Curse: The Promotion of E-Learning in China and its Futures”
Zhuoxi Li. Hwa Chong International School. “Why We Need to Reinvent the Toilet for the 21st Century”
Xi Xi. United World College Changshu China. “Beyond Earth: The Evolution and Landscape of Space Tourism”
Haiwen Xu. The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China. “Seeds of Change_The Rise of Food IP Rights”
Yuncong Li. Dulwich College Shanghai. “China's Digital Silk Road: Its Geopolitical Ambitions in Africa”
Lucas So. Concordia International School Shanghai. “Intelligent Solution or Unavoidable Force?: Artificial Intelligence Revolutionizes Africa's Future Medical Advancements”
Yu Lan. The International Department, The Affiliated High School of SCNU. “A Fruitful Future: The Potential of Drip Irrigation”
Zhengxuan Tian. NLCS Singapore. “Implementing AI in Recruitment in South Africa: Striking a Balance between Progress and Societal Impact”
Hsia Hsin. Taipei Fuhsing Private School. “The Digital Pulse: A New Era of Social Movements”
Kathryn Zhang. Dulwich International High School Suzhou. “The God of the 21st Century —AI, Digital Human, and the Copyright Shadow behind it”
Zheng Yifan. BASIS International School Hangzhou. “Algorithmic Bias in Credit Scoring: An Unsolvable Problem”
Yishan Chen. Tianjin Yaohua High School. “All Nodes Lead to Beijing: The Digital Silk Road and China's Infrastructure Power”
Taeyoon Song. North London Collegiate School Jeju. “Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence in the War Against Climate Change”
Noh Hyunseo. International School of Beijing. “From East to Everywhere: Chinese Technological Pioneers Reshaping the Global Innovation Paradigm”
Wang Xiaoyu. Tianjin Nankai High School. “Live-streaming Shopping:The Present and Future of E-commerce”
Angela Lau. Oxford High School. “Revolutionizing Affordable Living: The Role of 3D-Printed Housing in the Future for Indigenous Groups and LICs”
Jiale Zhao. Hangzhou No.14 High School. “The World is Screaming at Me: The Impact of Gene Therapy on the Treatment of Deaf Children”
Zonglin Yang. Chongqing Nankai Secondary School. “Resilience in the Brew: The Story of Yunnan's Coffee Transformation”
Mia Hu. Shanghai Pinghe School. “Revolutionizing Education: Enhancing Access and Quality Through Technological Innovations”
Zhiyu Zhang. Shanghai Star-river Bilingual School. “Reimagining Resilience: Sustainable Agriculture from Gaza to Africa”
Jiaqi Zuo, Yuexi Tong. Wuhan Britain-China School. “Lethal Injection: An Unnoticed Pain”
Michael Lau. The Harker School. “The Deadly Dilemma of Smartphone Usage in a War”
Nicole Lu. Shanghai American School. “Bioprinting: The Art that Builds Organs”
Yuchen Pan. Fuzhou No.3 High School. “Beautiful Clothes, Ugly Businesses: the Story behind the Tech Unicorn SHEIN and other Fast Fashion Companies”
Sylvia Tse. AIS HK. “Overcoming Educational Challenges for Hong Kong's Immigrant Children through Technological Innovation”
Seoyoon Kim. Western Academy of Beijing. “Feeding the Future: How Egget Technology Revolutionizes Food Security”
Yunxi Zhao. Chinese International School. “Revolutionizing Agriculture: Plant Wearable Sensors and the Future of Food Security.”
Baitao Wan. Shenzhen Foreign Language School. “Blockchain and Financial Inclusion: Navigating Global Challenges and Opportunities”
Ziyou Tian. Saint Andrew's School. “Seabed Mining: The Hidden Consequences of Ineffective Bureaucracy”
Yushan Chen. Henan Experimental High School. “Technological Advancement is No Match for Anti-refugee Politics”
Zhixuan Gong. Shanghai Guanghua Cambridge International School. “Harnessing Technological Advancement for a Sustainable Future: A Global Imperative”