Bridging Borders: Nazareth and Afghanistan

This past week I had a wonderful experience. The U.S. State Department selected Nazareth as the only school in the U.S. to host college students from Afghanistan.  Because of this, I had an opportunity to teach a class for these students on the topic of human rights. We focused on the sources and content of those rights, and the mechanisms that are used for enforcement. Much of the discussion centered on treatment of women in their country. Having read a recent N.Y. Times articleon this very topic, I was most interested to learn the perspectives of the students. A number of the women described vivid examples of inequality, where some of the men were less able to see the discrimination. As we probed deeper, it became clear that distinctions were being made between law, religion, and custom. The Afghanistan Constitutionstates that “the citizens of Afghanistan—whether man or woman-- have equal rights and duties.” One of the students mentioned that Islam does not authorize discrimination between men and women. However, a number of students argued that custom operates to perpetuate such discrimination.  

I was most impressed by the discussion of this and other somewhat-sensitive human rights topics. The students were well-informed, thoughtful, articulate, and willing to engage in candid discussions. As I listened to the students, I was thinking that this classroom experience seemed very detached from the news stories that focus on war in Afghanistan. For a month, these Afghanistan students are living and studying with Nazareth students, creating extraordinary opportunities for discussions about a wide range of topics. The experience reinforces my conviction that such exchange programs are vital in promoting understanding across cultures and borders.

Comments

[Timothy Durney]

I had the opportunity to visit Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom II and IV while in the Army. I loved the whole experience of the country. What a great program for all involved. I hope to transfer to Nazareth and be a part of this program in the near future.

[Cody]

Sounds like a great program - thanks for posting. I wonder what ways there are to engage a wider community in the discussion. Thoughts?