On February 21, 2013, AEI resident scholar Michael Rubin visited Geneva College for a two-day campus visit on the topics of Iran and the Arab Spring. The event was co-hosted by Geneva College’s Visiting Artist and Lecture Series.
Speaking about Iran on Thursday evening, Dr. Rubin gave the audience an overview of the complexity of the situation in that nation. After outlining a brief history of modern-day Iran, Dr. Rubin offered thoughtful answers to a series of questions that are often puzzling for students today: Why is the nuclear issue such a concern? What factors go into Iran’s decision-making apparatus, and why is it difficult for US intelligence to predict? What are the broader root causes of underlying conflict in the Middle East?
On Friday morning, Dr. Rubin spoke to 95 students about another timely, complex issue: the Arab Spring. He offered a lurid history of the Muslim Brotherhood, described changes in Egypt in the last year, and offered a fascinating perspective on how citizens in the Middle East view the role of government. Finally, Dr. Rubin outlined challenges facing North African nations, as well as fighting underway today in Syria and Afghanistan.
Along with a corresponding workshop on “Navigating Public Policy Jobs and Internships,” these lectures were co-sponsored by AEI’s Values & Capitalism project. For further reading about Iran, check out Dr. Rubin’s recent AEI Middle Eastern Outlook, “Deciphering Iranian Decision Making and Strategy Today.”
Speaking about Iran on Thursday evening, Dr. Rubin gave the audience an overview of the complexity of the situation in that nation. After outlining a brief history of modern-day Iran, Dr. Rubin offered thoughtful answers to a series of questions that are often puzzling for students today: Why is the nuclear issue such a concern? What factors go into Iran’s decision-making apparatus, and why is it difficult for US intelligence to predict? What are the broader root causes of underlying conflict in the Middle East?
On Friday morning, Dr. Rubin spoke to 95 students about another timely, complex issue: the Arab Spring. He offered a lurid history of the Muslim Brotherhood, described changes in Egypt in the last year, and offered a fascinating perspective on how citizens in the Middle East view the role of government. Finally, Dr. Rubin outlined challenges facing North African nations, as well as fighting underway today in Syria and Afghanistan.
Along with a corresponding workshop on “Navigating Public Policy Jobs and Internships,” these lectures were co-sponsored by AEI’s Values & Capitalism project. For further reading about Iran, check out Dr. Rubin’s recent AEI Middle Eastern Outlook, “Deciphering Iranian Decision Making and Strategy Today.”
