Article

New classes reflect issues raised by Sept. 11 attacks

The topics include the social, cultural and political causes of terrorism, the role of the United States in world affairs and its history, psychological factors, civil liberties and public opinions.
Jeremy Ribakove - Staff Writer

There have been vigils, teach-ins, guest speakers and prayer sessions. Now Binghamton University students can turn to the classroom in seeking answers and solace since the events of Sept. 11.

New courses are appearing in the Course Guide for Spring 2002 reflecting issues that have become pressing since Sept. 11, and certain existing courses have been slightly modified.

New courses include SOC 380T – Understanding Islam: Overview taught by Kevin R. Lacey, ENG 450T – Art and War taught by Donald Boros and SOC 480F – War, Technology and Society taught by Philip Kraft.

For certain courses that have been taught for years, such as William Wagar’s “War: Past and Future,” the events of Sept. 11 affected the class, but won’t deeply change the way he will teach the class next semester.

Boros’ class deals with the response of art and popular culture to the events of Sept. 11 according to the Course Guide. This class encourages students to express their feelings through performances about the events of the world.

The most prominent of these courses is in the political science department. The War on Terrorism deals with various facets of terrorism and war.

According to the Course Guide, the topics include the social, cultural and political causes of terrorism, the role of the United States in world affairs and its history, psychological factors, civil liberties and public opinions.

This course is officially taught by political science Professor Robert Ostergard, but with such a wide variety of topics addressed in the course, all professors from the political science department, as well as professors from the psychology, sociology, economics and history departments, will have their chance to address the class.

“We’re trying to build a wide-ranging team to deal with issues regarding Sept. 11 and help students deal with issues regarding Sept. 11,” Ostergard said.

This course developed when Ostergard’s students asked questions about why it happened and more importantly, according to Ostergard, how further attacks can be prevented.

The political science department, feeling it was the best-equipped department to handle the issue, took the lead in planning a course regarding the events of Sept. 11 that would use the resources of the University and nominated Ostergard to lead it.

While terrorism is a pressing issue right now, Ostergard sees his course as dealing with a long-term issue.

Ostergard sees the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 as a defining moment for the generation of students currently attending Binghamton.

“How we react now and approach this (matter) will shape how you react and approach this later on,” Ostergard said.

According to Ostergard, these new courses are not a simple reaction to current events and, instead, should continue long-term. He expects these courses will be a mainstay here.

“The course serves a long-term purpose,” Ostergard said. “The ramifications are not going to be immediate.”

The world situation has changed too much for BU not to adapt to it as other colleges have, according to Ostergard.

“If we’re going to stay on with what’s happening in the real world, we have to adapt,” he said.

When Ostergard, currently in his ninth year at BU as a graduate student and later a professor, originally arrived at the University, he took notice of the level of student interest in politics.

“One of the first things that struck me when I came here was how apolitical this campus was. Now, we’re seeing strong opinions coming from all sides of the political spectrum.”

Ostergard said he doesn’t want to deter anyone from taking the course because it is a 300-level, adding that it’s open to all students regardless of year, status or major.

Other professors are opting to weave terrorism into their existing classes, rather than create entirely new courses based on it.

“We do talk about terrorism. I weave it in on different lectures I give. I don’t focus on it. It’s a political science course about the past and the history of world conflict,” Wagar said.

According to Wagar, terrorism is a common phenomenon throughout history and is “overrated as a form of conflict.”

There has been great student demand for Ostergard’s course, according to Ostergard.

Freshman Anthony Perez, a mathematics major, is one of those students:

“It’s cool that they’re offering a course that students can sympathize with. This is a fresh way of looking at this. I don’t think it’s a great idea to have it in lecture form because I feel that a discussion would further intellectual ideas on the matter.”

According to computer science graduate student Priadyod Duhlipeh, the instructors should make sure that the class doesn’t act as a proponent for only one view.

“When you do talk about a course, the students have to follow the view of the professor. This is too important a topic for 60 students to share one man’s views,” said Duhlipeh.

At least one student felt that there should have been some classes before the events of Sept. 11, rather than having a number of classes come up after the fact.

“I think that there should have been something beforehand,” said junior psychology major Cortney Indig, “instead of everything coming up now.”