Release date: March 28, 2003
Contact: Deb Hammacher, Associate Director, University Media Relations,
at 404-727-0644 or dhammac@emory.edu

Professor's First-hand Experience Provides Powerful Insight for Middle East Course

The morning the world learned that former U.S. President Jimmy Carter had won the Nobel Peace Prize, students in a class on the Arab-Israeli conflict at Emory were already getting a first-hand account of the man and his work from their instructor, history professor Kenneth Stein.

Sitting on the edge of the stage in front of the lecture hall that morning last October, Stein deftly explained the importance of the Camp David Peace Accords, and provided candid, personal insights on Carter, a man integral to his introductory course, "History, Politics and Diplomacy of the Arab-Israeli Conflict."

"The sheer dent of his determination made the Camp David Peace Accords happen . . .If you want him to do something, tell him he can’t," Stein said during the lecture, telling the class that Carter's unwavering persistence has been a key to much of his success in conflict resolution.

Stein, the William E. Schatten Professor of Contemporary Middle Eastern History and Israeli Studies, can provide such insight due to his close work with Carter for 20 years as a Carter Center fellow on Middle East affairs. Such connections also bring Carter in for a guest lecture to the class nearly every semester it's offered.

The course, which includes intensive lectures and discussion groups led by Stein, is one of the most popular ones at Emory despite a reading list of books and original source material that would intimidate a graduate student. Stein's expertise and passion for the material, combined with the chance to hear directly from figures in their history books, have made the course a memorable one for students fortunate enough to get in.

Several students have kept in touch with Stein over the years to let him know how the much the class has meant to them by increasing their understanding of an immensely complex region, and by challenging them to expand their intellectual capacity.

Emory senior Amy Malek was a sophomore without a major when she took the course, but by the end of it, her career path was in place. Although initially hesitant about taking the class due to the challenging topic, the course led her to major in Middle Eastern studies, which she plans to pursue in graduate school.

"The Arab-Israeli conflict is an issue that most people only know from the news, and only about surface issues, if anything at all, and this class really delves into the issues behind the conflict," Malek says. "Stein's teaching style is the key to the success of this class. Teaching a class on such a volatile issue is difficult, but Stein does a good job of forcing students to analyze their preconceived notions by looking at history through texts and facts rather than through the biased eyes of religious or political leaders. He attempts an objective role, and plays devil's advocate in class debates."

Stein was challenged to create the course a decade ago by his son, then an Emory student, who said freshman rarely got the opportunity to take such a class as they worked to fulfill their required coursework.

"Stein helped light a fire of interest in me for Middle Eastern studies," says Malek. "I am lucky to have had the chance to learn from him."

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