2008 Woodie Awards
Students lack basic war knowledge
Jayme Klein
Issue date: 12/6/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
It's the first day of the semester and your professor hands you a blank map of the Middle East. You are instructed to name as many of the countries as you can. How many would you be able to name?
This is a quiz that professor Guhlam Haniff often gives to his students.
"Most students can name one or two of the countries," Haniff said. "About 30 percent of the students can not name a single country. A situation like that tells me that the students don't know a whole lot about the area."
Although the United States has been involved with the Middle East in one way or another for decades, this can be a region many students lack knowledge about.
This spring, Haniff will once again teach a course on Middle Eastern government and politics. The class is a basic course on the government and politics of the region. Haniff said it is important to learn about the Middle East because U.S. citizens are connected to the region, a connection that will not be terminated in the near future.
"I think it is important, especially now, to know about different places around the world," Katie Baker, a fifth-year student at SCSU said.
Haniff's class does not get into the U.S. politics of the war in Iraq, but Haniff does teach the basics for U.S. involvement in the Middle East.
"Students don't have any knowledge on why the U.S. is there. Some people believe we invaded because Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," Haniff said.
He teaches the reason given for U.S. involvement was to look for weapons of mass destruction.
"It was discovered later that the government knew that there were no weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. The U.S. wanted to control the area because of oil and other possible resources. The U.S. wants to remain dominant of the area," Haniff said.
Fouzi Slisli, assistant professor for SCSU's department of human relations and multicultural education, said it is important for students to learn about the Middle East because the war is being fought in their name.
"If they don't have knowledge, they will end up dehumanizing the people over in Iraq. That does not come free. We will end up paying with the soul of our society."
Although some students may lack knowledge about the Middle East, Slisli said he has noticed a change in today's students compared to students before 9/11.
"The sense of fear and helplessness makes students more curious to know (what's going on) behind the scenes," Slisli said. "They are more likely to go and research. Students need to read, learn and empower themselves and learn how previous generations have ruled and empowered themselves."
This is a quiz that professor Guhlam Haniff often gives to his students.
"Most students can name one or two of the countries," Haniff said. "About 30 percent of the students can not name a single country. A situation like that tells me that the students don't know a whole lot about the area."
Although the United States has been involved with the Middle East in one way or another for decades, this can be a region many students lack knowledge about.
This spring, Haniff will once again teach a course on Middle Eastern government and politics. The class is a basic course on the government and politics of the region. Haniff said it is important to learn about the Middle East because U.S. citizens are connected to the region, a connection that will not be terminated in the near future.
"I think it is important, especially now, to know about different places around the world," Katie Baker, a fifth-year student at SCSU said.
Haniff's class does not get into the U.S. politics of the war in Iraq, but Haniff does teach the basics for U.S. involvement in the Middle East.
"Students don't have any knowledge on why the U.S. is there. Some people believe we invaded because Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," Haniff said.
He teaches the reason given for U.S. involvement was to look for weapons of mass destruction.
"It was discovered later that the government knew that there were no weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. The U.S. wanted to control the area because of oil and other possible resources. The U.S. wants to remain dominant of the area," Haniff said.
Fouzi Slisli, assistant professor for SCSU's department of human relations and multicultural education, said it is important for students to learn about the Middle East because the war is being fought in their name.
"If they don't have knowledge, they will end up dehumanizing the people over in Iraq. That does not come free. We will end up paying with the soul of our society."
Although some students may lack knowledge about the Middle East, Slisli said he has noticed a change in today's students compared to students before 9/11.
"The sense of fear and helplessness makes students more curious to know (what's going on) behind the scenes," Slisli said. "They are more likely to go and research. Students need to read, learn and empower themselves and learn how previous generations have ruled and empowered themselves."