Fall 2007 Vignette 2
Issues on the World Stage
There are few regions of the world which are as complex and volatile as the Middle East, and keeping up with the day-to-day changes in foreign policies, political unrest and plans for peace is a daunting task. But, it is a job which Laura Dias '08 relishes because it has dramatically enhanced her learning and will launch her into the next phase of her education.
Through Emmanuel's faculty-student research program, Laura has been working with Professor of Political Science Lenore Martin, a well-known academic in the field of Middle Eastern security, particularly as it relates to the country of Turkey, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Gulf. Dr. Martin has three books about the Middle East and Turkey to her credit, has traveled the world presenting at conferences, has participated in a conference with Iraqi politicians discussing the Iraqi constitution, and has journeyed through Turkey into the northern Iraqi city of Erbil.
It is no wonder that taking five courses with Dr. Martin ignited the interest of Laura, a political science major. That interest has grown to be a primary academic focus for the present and the future. Through this research program, she has been able to take her studies a step further; exploring the ever-changing landscape of the Middle East in ways she would not have in the classroom.
Laura monitors news reports in English-language Turkish newspapers including The Turkish Daily News, The New Anatolian, Hurriyet and Zaman. She also reads arabnews.com, as well as the English editions of the Israeli newspaper Haaretz and the Lebanese Dar Al-Hayat, culling through daily articles on such topics as political developments, economic growth, terrorism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and peace proposals, and U.S.-Middle East relations.
"Working with Dr. Martin has given me the opportunity to understand many different aspects of policy in the Middle East and has broadened my knowledge of both domestic and international interactions in such countries as Syria and Israel, and Turkey's relationship to the Middle East," said Laura.
Dr. Martin is one of very few academics in the country who concentrates on Turkey and its role in the Middle East. "Turkey is at a crossroads in terms of its position in the Middle East, as well as its relationship with the U.S. The Turkish-Kurdish terrorist group, the PKK, has become increasingly active and has found a safe haven in northern Iraq. Turkey's threats to invade northern Iraq to disrupt the PKK camps is something the U.S. fears would further destabilize the country."
Because Turkey is at such a crossroads, keeping up with the latest news from the country and the region is paramount. Laura's research has been critical as Dr. Martin prepares papers and presentations for various conferences internationally and for a book she intends to write on Turkey and the Middle East.
"My interaction with Laura is daily at this point. She charted sections of the various Palestinian-Israeli peace plans for a presentation I made at Florida Atlantic University and was very helpful for a paper I wrote for a conference in Greece on 'The Turkish-Kurdish Identity Dilemma,'"said Dr. Martin. "In June Laura's research was crucial in preparing a presentation for delivery in Turkey called 'Palestinian-Israeli Peace: Is Now the Time?'"
"Earlier in March, I was invited by the British Foreign Office to participate in a Wilton Park conference on Turkish-EU relations in the United Kingdom. Laura's work was extremely helpful for that conference which included academics, journalists and government officials from the EU and Turkey."
For Laura, her classroom work with Dr. Martin coupled with her focused research has allowed her to put this current news into an analytical context. It has also taught her to recognize that newspapers from different regions have certain biases; so several views need to be weighed to get accurate data.
"I had no understanding of Islam or the Middle East before I came to Emmanuel and now I am working with an expert in the field who has inspired me to continue to focus on the Middle East in graduate school. I have learned that to be well-respected in this field you must be extremely well-read and educated, and Dr. Martin is giving me that foundation."
"The fact that Emmanuel gives us the opportunity to do faculty-student research is so beneficial to both me and my students. It has given Laura, in particular, a chance to narrow her focus, specialize and delve deeply into something," said Dr. Martin. "The Middle East is basic to U.S. security and it is very complex. But through this research, Laura truly understands such complicated issues as the relationships between the U.S. and the region, the role of religion in politics, the forces of globalization involved, and the political, economic, and social interactions in the region. And, she understands them very well."