While much has been said about President Skorton’s recent visit to Iran last November, another Cornell-Iran connection has gone largely unnoticed: Prof. Jon Weiss’ class, History 2161: Iran and the World. The class is exceptional in that it allows students to interact with Iranians, and therefore learn about world conflicts in a direct and engaging way. However, such a course should not be unusual; to best educate Cornellians, the University should develop additional classes whereby students can obtain first-hand perspectives and knowledge about other cultures.

Like Skorton, the students in this class make contact with Iranians, conversing with them through e-mails and blogs. By forming these bonds, Weiss’ students are able to learn about Iran, and its relationship with America, in a way that neither a textbook nor a newspaper can replicate. Through conversations with people on “the other side” of a conflict, students will gain new insights and unique understandings of world issues.

Conflicts can only be solved successfully by those who truly understand them. By learning about Iranians in an interactive way, these students are taking the first steps towards attempting resolution. The class provides students with the opportunity to become informed leaders who will play a role in future world conflicts.

Additionally, by visiting Iran, Skorton made it clear that he believes in having an academic exchange with the country. In order to enable such a dialogue, the University must continue developing classes such as History 2161 that encourage students to create relationships with people involved in conflict. For example, the Near Eastern Studies department should prompt students to engage in discourse with Israelis and Palestinians, and the Asian Studies department should similarly push students to have a dialogue with Chinese citizens whose voices are stifled by their country’s censorship.

With a campus in Qatar and partnerships with other universities across the globe, Cornell has made its mission to provide students an international perspective clear. However, with only about one third of Cornellians studying abroad, it is uncertain whether most students are actually obtaining a global education. Courses such as History 2161, which would push their pupils to become personally involved and knowledgeable about complex world subjects, allow students to become leaders of the future who can instigate significant change.