Three SHSU professors will discuss “what you need to know” about the Middle East on Tuesday (Nov. 10) during the Political Engagement Project Committee’s first “Hot Topics” program.
Panelists Nick Pappas, Masoud Kazemzadeh, Yasser Djazaerly and Brig. Gen. Harold Fruchtnicht will discuss the history, culture, religion, and politics of the volatile region during the interactive seminar, “The Middle East: What You Need to Know,” from 6-8 p.m. in the Academic Building IV Olson Auditorium.
“This is a great opportunity to learn more about one of the world’s most important regions in an engaging and provocative forum,” said PEP Chair Stacy Ulbig.
The speakers were chosen for their expertise on the region and their engaging, lively style, according to Ulbig.
Pappas, an associate professor of history who specializes in military and diplomatic history, will explore nation building in Afghanistan in the context of the complex ethnic, social, economic, political, and cultural milieu of Afghanistan.
Kazemzadeh, a political science associate professor who specializes in United States-Iran relations, will discuss American involvement in the Middle East under Presidents Bush and Obama.
Djazaerly, assistant professor of foreign languages who teaches Arabic, German and French, will discuss the general background of the Qatar with an emphasis on the current and future United States involvement.
Fruchtnicht served in the United States Marine Corps for 34 years before retiring in 2006. A naval aviator and trained as an attack pilot, he also served as an instructor, training student naval aviators in the TA-4 aircraft. He has served in Japan, Puerto Rico and, most recently, in Iraq.
The event will be moderated by political science department chair Rhonda Callaway.
The program is scheduled to coincide with Veterans Day activities that include the grand opening of the HEARTS Veterans Museum, campus showings of “Charlie Wilson’s War” by the American Democracy Project, and the community-wide care package drive, hosted by the Political Science Junior Fellows.
For more information, contact Mike Yawn, PEP committee member, at 936.294.1456 or mike.yawn@shsu.edu.