the pendulum
NEWS
WEDNESDAY. MARCH 16. 2011 // PAGE 5
It’s the shot heard ’round the world:
International studies professors, students see value in teaching current events
Melissa Kansky
Assistant News Editor
Professors agree that the
recent political unrest in
North Africa and the Middle
East provide international
studies students with a greater
understanding of course
material, prompting them to
integrate current events into
the curriculum.
Following the protests
in Tunisia and Egypt,
revolutionary groups have
organized in Libya in an
attempt to end Colonel
Muammar Gaddafi’s 40-year
rule over the nation. Unlike
the revolt in Egypt, which was
met by relative neutrality on
behalf of the military despite
a violent response from police,
the Libyan military is pushing
back hard on protestors.
“The difference that Libya
has the power to really go after
these revolutionaries could be
the difference between them
toppling the government, as in
the case of Mubarak in Egypt,”
said freshman David Oleksak,
an international studies
student.
Incorporating discussions
about these recent events
enables students to see ideas
as tangible products, said Rudy
Zarzar, professor of political
science.
“It seems to me, when I
teach political theory, for
example, people tend to think
that theory is up in the sky and
not relevant to the real world,”
Zarzar said, “but we want to
show how theory can help us
understand tnd explain things
going on in the world.”
When teaching classes
concerning the theory of
nonviolence and international
terrorism, Zarzar frames
the recent events to explain
instances when nonviolent
revolutions are effective and
when they fail.
Ismail Lagardien, assistant
professor of political science,
calls upon recent events to
illustrate international politics
and global issues in terms of
political hegemony.
And in Oleksak’s
international relations class,
he said Sean Giovanello,
assistant professor of political
science, reserves time to focus
on current events.
The marriage between
academics and news helps
students better understand
both the theories and foreign
relations, Oleksak said.
“Prior (to the international
studies class) I had an
understanding of what was
going on in the world," he said,
“but now I see how the pieces
fit together.”
While placing current events
in the frame of international
relations theory helps students
comprehend theoretical
explanations of international
relations, the melding of
the two also illuminates
individuals’ own influence
regarding world events.
“We have seen the potential
our generation has with all
the communication and social
networking,” Oleksak said,
“and how we can utilize it and
make our voices heard in the
world in general.”
Lagardien also approaches
international studies courses
as a way to enhance students’
awareness of world events and
acknowledgement of human
possibilities.
“When the students leave
my class they go back into
society,” he said. “Part of my
teaching is to empower them
to better deal with issues in the
social world.”
The unrest in Tunisia,
Egypt and Libya demonstrated
the disjunction between the
citizens and the political
leaders, and this over arching
belief enables Lagardien to
incorporate it into most of his
international relations classes,
he said.
“Itchallengestheassumption
that international relations
is only about super power
politics or the politics of great
powers,” he said. “The voices of
the poor and the marginalized
and the weak have to be heard
in international relations, and
this is the reason why I think it
is important (to teach).”
Zarzar said he interprets the
series of reactionary forces as a
movement toward democracy.
Oleksak said he also views
these events as monumental
historical moments.
Given the influence of
the revolutionary groups,
both argue that not only
international studies students
should have an interest in the
current political climate.
“It is important for anyone
(to understand) because this
is going to be the world we are
inheriting in five, 10 years,"
Olesksak said.
DEC. 17, 2010:
Tunisian citizen,
Mohanned Bouazizi,
26, sets himself on
fire to demonstrate his
dissent concerning
unemployment.
DEC. 19, 2010:
Bouazizl’s death ignites
protests in Tunisia.
JAN. 25, 2011:
Egyptians take to the
streets, calling “Down
with Mubarak.”
JAN. 27, 2011:
Thousands in Yemen
protest 32-year rule of
President Ali Abdullah
Saleh.
FEB. 14,2011:
Demonstrations begin
in Bahrain.
FEB. 17, 2011:
Libyan revolutionaries
organize protest
against Muammar
Gaddafi.
Information courtesy of
CNN and A! Jazeera
Chemistry professor receives national grant
Rachel Southmayd
Opinions Editor
Joel Karty, associate
professor of chemistry, was
recently awarded a grant
from the National Science
Foundation for his research in
the field of chemistry.
Karty’s project is titled
“Resonance and Inductive
Effects in Fundamental
Chemical Systems" and
will study two phenomena
that occur during chemical
reactions.
“When they take place
together, we can know what the
sum total effect is but we don’t
know what each one is doing in
its own part,” Karty said.
Karty said $36,000 will
go toward stipends for three
undergraduate research
assistants for three summers.
The money will also go
toward purchasing new
computers to accomplish
computations more quickly,
both during the summer and
the school year.
After a month of writing the
proposal, Karty receives the
NSF grant on the first attempt.
If it hadn’t been awarded, he
would have been forced to wait
another full year to re-apply.
He said the organization
looks at an applicant’s past
performance and the proposal
to make a decision.
“It’s much easier to convince
them that this is going to be
a good project if your track
record is solid,” he said.
What Karty is doing is
known as fundamental, or
basic research. This is different
from applied research, which
Karty said most people are
more familiar with.
“Basic research,
fundamental research does
not have an immediate societal
problem to solve but is taking
place for the primary reason
of better understanding of the
science,” he said.
While there are no
immediate implications for
this research, Karty said they
could have greater effects
later down the road because
applied research is often based
on, or utilizes, fundamental
research.
“It’s important to be able
to keep contributing to the
fundamental research without
having an immediate problem
BRIAN ALLENBY | Stall PhotograpMf
Joel Karty, associate professor of chemistry, will use the $36,000 he received to study two phenomena that occur during chemical reactions.
to solve so that later on, a
problem we don’t know about
now might be tackled using the
stuff we learn about today,” he
said.
Karty said one of his
incentives for applying was
creating quality educational
experiences for students.
“The grant-getting stuff
itself I think stems from what
it is that we do as professors.
It all goes part in parcel with
undergraduate research,” he
said.
University deans challenge requirement changes
GST from PAGE 1
of Communications, Business and
Education will not fulfill these
requirements.
Paul Parsons, dean of the School of
Communications, said many classes
in the School of Communications have
value as general studies courses and he
has written a letter asking the review
committee to consider this.
“Our philosophy is very akin and
consistent with arts and sciences,"
Parsons said. “1 believe we have courses
that appropriately belong under the
general studies banner."
The challenge the revised curriculum
poses is that all students would
potentially be required to either major
or minor in the College of Arts and
Sciences, which could be very difficult
to do, said Kenn Gaither, associate dean
School of Communications.
“Our belief is that the importance of
communications should be a part of this
proposal more than it is," Gaither said.
“The School of Communications is very
much left out of this proposal.”
Such a requirement would mean
more advanced planning for students,
according to Mary
Gowan, dean of the
School of Business.
“This
proposal
require
students
planning
majors and
-MARY GOWAN, DEAN OF
THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
new
may
that
begin
their
minors
a little earlier,” she
said. “It will require
students to make
choices earlier if
they wish to study different subject
areas.”
The proposed curriculum opens
doors for many interdisciplinary
opportunities, Gowan said.
“We believe it’s important for students
to be able to discuss topics other than
“This new proposal...will
require students to make
choices earlier if they wish to
study different subject areas."
business,” she said. “We value the arts
and sciences and by taking courses in
that area, you become more aware of
what’s going on in the world.”
Tom Mould,
associate professor
and general studies
review committee co
chair, said he believes
there is always room
for improvement.
“The changes we
are proposing will
allow students to
make connections
within each class they
take,” he said. “It will
encourage integrated learning.”
If the proposed curriculum . is
finalized by a faculty vote in May 2011,
the committee would expect to see
changes develop within the school in the
fall of 2013.
Another proposed revision is to
increase the foreign language proficiency
from the 122 level to the 221 level.
“To better prepare Elon students to
become global citizens, they truly need a
higher proficiency in foreign language,"
Warman said.
The committee is also proposing
to change the distribution in the arts
and sciences categories and hours.
While 32 credit hours in the arts and
sciences are currently required under
the current general studies curriculum,
24 are required under the proposed
curriculum.
The last major change proposed in the
general studies curriculum is expanding
the Experiential Learning Requirement
so students are required to complete at
least two of the Elon Experiences. One of
t he completed requirement s must involve
diversity or community engagement.
Kassondra Cloos contributed to this
article.