A situation such as the war with Iraq can provide an opportunity for students to learn that connections between academia and real life do exist. Courses in history, anthropology and even teacher education can give instructors the chance to address the war’s political, economical and sociological effects in a classroom setting.
Current events can play an important role in discussion of various subjects. With this in mind, a number of University professors have incorporated analysis and examination of the war with Iraq into their lectures and lessons.
History Professor John Nicols said current events can provide useful analogies for studying history. He added that these comparisons can be used to prove any side of a situation and are valuable in providing insight into the motivation behind current events.
“The analogy helps understand human motivation,” Nicols said. “In many cases, it’s fear that determines the case for war.”
Nicols said the war with Iraq provides a basis for studying tyranny throughout history. Nicols compares Saddam Hussein with Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, and examines how dictators can rule, hidden behind a mask of democracy.
Diane Baxter, an anthropology professor, also tries to tie in historical perceptions in her course titled “Arabs in the Middle East.”
“What I’ve tried to do is give my students tools to understand what the war means for Arabs, which is very different from what it means for Americans,” Baxter said.
Just as there are many different American views, there is no one Arab opinion, she said. Baxter added that her goal is not to incorporate her own opinion into the current events or provide a political point of view, but rather examine various perceptions of history and current events.
But the war has implications on the home front as well. During winter term, sociology Professor Lynn Fujiwara, in her course “Women, Work and Class,” examined how politics and economy affect the lives of women in Oregon. Her main focus was the effects a war with Iraq would have on the local economy. Students shared newspaper clippings about local unemployment and homelessness.
As a teacher education instructor, Sue Yockelson’s task is to teach her students to understand their own values and beliefs before they set out to teach middle school students. In order to teach well, instructors must be aware of their own opinions, especially with a topic as heated as war.
“We teach students that, as a teacher, it’s important to be aware ,” said Yockelson. “It’s also important for potential teachers to know the values and beliefs of the community.”