On March 2nd, Davidson College students were granted the opportunity to cast aside their academic struggles for a moment to learn about far more pressing issues. The Dean Rusk International Studies Program sponsored a lecture titled “Iran in Revolt” featuring Dr. Charles Kurzman, a sociology professor from UNC-Chapel Hill. The event was incredibly timely, following recent U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in Iran. By combining history, videos of protests, and political analysis, Dr. Kurzman helped students make sense of a geopolitical situation that often feels distant and confusing.

Dr. Kurzman had two main goals: to teach us the history behind the headlines and to get us thinking outside of our echo chamber of assignments and campus social life. It is easy at a place like Davidson to be so focused on our own busy schedules that the noise of global conflict feels muted. This lecture aimed to turn up the volume. The lecture was a clear success. The room was completely full, proving that students are eager to engage with the world when given the chance. This eagerness was also clear through the Q&A session because it turned a formal speech into a personal conversation. This format encouraged curiosity and made a complicated topic feel much more reachable for the average student.

He formatted the lecture by beginning with powerful videos of current Iranian protests to show the humanity which is involved in the conflict. He then contextualized the issue by providing a historical overview of Iran’s long record of social movements. This helped those of us without much background knowledge understand what he was discussing. He also explained the technical process of how Iran chooses a new Supreme Leader, which was important for understanding how U.S. military actions might change Iran’s internal power. The presentation ended with a Q&A session where students could ask their own questions.

On a personal level, I loved the lecture. I took a bit of an unintentional hiatus from being socially conscious last semester, but have since gotten back into the habit of checking the news, and making sure I am up to date on global events that are occurring. This lecture reminded me just how important doing so is. It forced me to bear in mind that behind every headline, human lives are being impacted.