Students living on campus had the opportunity Tuesday to discuss
global concerns with professors who are experts on Middle East and
U.S. foreign policy ““ and they didn’t have to travel
far to get there.
An open forum to discuss “The Future of American Foreign
Policy” was held at Covel Commons on the Hill.
“We don’t have many faculty panels of this kind of
magnitude, and this kind of range, about such sensitive issues in
the dorms,” said Jessica Lu, a second-year business economics
student and a program assistant in Canyon Point.
“It was very interesting to get that type of academic
intensity on the Hill,” she added.
The event, sponsored by Canyon Point staff and faculty who live
in the dorms, was held in response to rising concerns regarding the
war expressed by resident students.
Faculty in Residence who helped facilitate the program believed
in the importance of having such discussion located at the center
of residential life.
“What we want to do is more of this, to increase the kind
of communal, intellectual life up here,” said English
professor Robert Maniquis.
Kevin Terraciano, an FIR who helped organize the event, also
felt the need for increased student and faculty interaction.
“This is a way of empowering students to get them to
discuss these issues with faculty rather than hearing faculty speak
about them,” he said.
Students who attended said they appreciated the chance to speak
with professors and the increased accessibility due to its location
near the residence halls.
“This is great to have and I was surprised at the
turnout,” said Courtney Takayama, a second-year psychology
student.
“People actually came to be informed,” she
added.
Other student participants agreed.
“What I wanted to see was educated, well-thought out,
wonderful professors that want to see the same things students do,
to see them be curious and want to know, for the sake of knowing
and not to be ignorant,” said Monica Choi, a fourth-year
molecular, cell and developmental biology student and Resident
Assistant.
The panel consisted of history professor Gabriel Piterberg, law
professor Jonathan Zasloff, political science and economics
professor Michael Intriligator, education professor Douglas
Kellner, and professor of Scandinavian studies Jules Zetner.
The professors expressed their views on the future of Iraq and
United States foreign policy.
“There is not going to be a democracy in Iraq,” said
Piterberg.
“Within not too long we’ll get … another Shiite
Islamic Republic, which I think will be in close alliance with
Iran,” he added.
Despite varying views on the ability of a democracy to be
established in Iraq, most panelists agreed that immediate
resolutions could not be expected.
“This conflict is going to take a long time,” said
Zasloff.
Kellner spoke about the need for multilateralism, the joint
efforts of countries and different organizations, to carry out the
reconstruction of Iraq.
“The U.S. cannot reconstruct Iraq alone with military
occupation. The only way that Iraq can be reconstructed is through
multilateralism and that is going to take a lot of countries,
organizations, working together to try to create a democracy in
Iraq,” said Kellner.
“I think that the Bush administration is committed to
unilateralism. …This is very dangerous and this is not the way to
address the problems of the world,” he added.
Intriligator also expressed concern for world perceptions of the
United States, the precedent that this war may have set for other
countries, and the effect the war victory may have on U.S.
policy.
“That could create a whole string of wars that could be
dangerous to national security,” he said.
Zasloff disagreed on arguments made by some about potential
increased instability of the Middle East.
“In fact, American military power has enforced more
stability in the Middle East,” he said.
Amid varying opinions on the effects of the war, the professors
did agree on the importance of discussion with undergraduates.
“Discussion of these issues is absolutely critical and an
essential part of undergraduate education,” Zasloff said.
Forums discussing issues of diversity will be held near the
residential community next week, as part of the annual celebrations
of World Fest.