Knox Faculty Panel Explores Global Conflicts, Political Rhetoric Ahead of Election

Knox College recently hosted a faculty panel, “Navigating Global Conflict,” to explore current global conflicts and offer guidance on navigating difficult conversations surrounding these issues. With the U.S. presidential election just around the corner, faculty experts provided context on major regional conflicts, including those in the Middle East, Ukraine, and East Asia. Panelists also addressed how these conflicts influence political rhetoric in the United States as the election nears.

Provost and Dean of the College Michael Schneider moderated the panel, which featured multiple Knox faculty members who shared their expertise spanning the Middle East, Europe, Ukraine, Russia, East Asia, and political discourse. Participating faculty members included:

• Professor of English and Chair of Film Studies Emily Anderson, who currently teaches a First-year Preceptorial course and leads a living-learning community on Democracy and Disinformation that closely follows the US election cycle.
• Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations Yu Bin Kim, a specialist in civil wars and international conflict with a subspecialization in Chinese politics.
• Associate Professor of Anthropology-Sociology and Co-Chair of Peace and Justice Jonah Rubin, an anthropologist with research interests in information and disinformation, as well as violence and memory. 
• Chair & Professor of History Emre Sencer, a faculty leader in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, as well as Russian history.

“Our panels did an exceptional job revealing the complexity behind each issue and providing context for understanding them,” Schneider said. “We hope that such opportunities to examine international issues seriously and draw on faculty expertise will only increase in frequency."

Attendees were encouraged to submit questions ahead of the event via an anonymous form. Topics ranged from shifts in US policy, the rise of right-wing and authoritarian political movements, the effects of misinformation on the 2024 elections, and more. 

These submissions helped guide the conversation, as the panelists aimed to address recurring and related questions throughout the session. The event was filled with insightful conversations on how to engage with complex global issues and navigate their relevance to the current political landscape.

“I thought the panel was a wonderful success,” Associate Professor Jonah Rubin said of his experience. “It was great to be on with colleagues capable of addressing such a breadth of geographic and disciplinary expertise. And the questions showed how dedicated and critical our students are, dissecting the world they live in and thinking through their role in working to build a more just and peaceful global community.”