‘People are desperate to learn more’: COCC holds talk examining Middle East conflict, featuring noted professor
(Update: Adding video, comments from Carleton University professor and COCC professor)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- COCC students, faculty and members of the community gathered in Wille Hall Wednesday for the History Department’s free event “Understanding Israel/Palestine.” It was built around a conversation led by Mira Sucharov, Ph.D., professor of political science from Canada's Carleton University.
Sucharov has been teaching in Ottawa for over 20 years, specializing in Israeli-Palestinian relations. She has been speaking to campuses across North America about the topic drawing the world's attention.
The conversation focused on the histories of both Israel and Palestine, examining the paths that have led them to their present circumstances.
Audience members were encouraged ask questions during the Q&A sessions of the presentation.
"In the in the student generation right now, for all of us, it's really hard to get factual grounding on such an emotional conflict.” said Jessica Hammerman, Ph.D., associate professor of world history at COCC. “So people lead with opinion, they lead with emotion -- and it goes straight to protest, and without understanding."
Many students had concerns on how to address the conflict without offending certain groups of people. Sucharov emphasized the importance of concentrating on shared values.
Sucharov said, "I prefer to talk about what I stand for, rather than who I stand with, despite the fact that I have very close friends and very close ties to Israel and to Israelis. I have family there, friends. I also have a close friend in Gaza, my Arabic teacher.”
“Once you establish common values, or at least articulate your values here with the values of the other person, then you can start to find some common ground," she added.
"For our students, what I want is for people to be able to form their own opinions from an educational base. I don't want to tell them how to think or what to believe or how to feel."
Hammerman, one of the facilitators of the event, said she was pleased with the turnout. Over 75 seats were filled in Wille Hall.
"I think that this the turnout today showed in the middle of the school day, in the middle of the workday, that people are desperate to learn more. And I think we should do more teaching type things." Hammerman said.
Sucharov said, "People are interested in, should be interested in -- there's a major, major crisis of life and death before us. There's going to be a lot of trauma that needs healing in communities here and especially in Israel-Palestine.”
Hammerman added, “The most crucial role we can play in this conflict as an educational institution is to provide a foundational understanding of a war that is both distressing and incredibly confusing.”
Dr. Sucharov is unique in her ability to clarify contemporary debates and wars, all within historical context. I encourage the community to join us to get their questions answered.” COCC President Laurie Chesley, Ph.D., gave the event’s introduction.
Sucharov and Omar Dajani also complied a list of resources for anyone who is interested in learning more about Israel-Palestine. You can view it here.
Sucharov is widely published on the politics, history and culture of the region. An author of several books, her op-ed pieces have appeared in Haaretz, The Daily Beast and Huffington Post, and she is a frequent contributor to the Canadian Broadcasting Company, CTV Television Network, Global News and Agence-France Presse. Sucharov holds a doctorate in government from Georgetown University, a master’s in political science from the University of Toronto, and a bachelor’s in Middle East studies from McGill University.
