Middle East Tensions, US Diplomacy, and Educational Engagement

In the month marked by the escalation and considerable political events, the world has once again focused on the Middle East. According to information from UN officers, Israel provided nine evacuation orders this month that have affected 213,000 people. Simultaneously, the damage was made to Golan Heights property with one person having been injured. In such a context, the US secretary of state organized his ninth visit to the region since the beginning of the conflict; however, he did not manage to obtain a truce agreement.

The fact that the Middle East is still one of the most unstable regions in the world is reinforced by the recent evacuation orders and the failure to produce the peace agreement. According to the state of affairs in Gaza City, which was recorded by a video filmed by one of the UN officers passing there on August 17, the destruction in the area is immense, with the whole neighborhood been destroyed. Viewing the video makes the appeals for applying more efforts for diplomatic resolution past urgent.

While the international community is trying to find a response to the events in the Middle East, political science educators in Kansas City apply the given crisis as an innovative tool for teaching. As Dr. Matt Harris from Park University explained, ‘We are immediately integrating it into our curriculum because it’s going to boost engagement’. Thus, the unfortunate political events can have a positive outcome as it can help the local students in democracy become more interested and intelligent within this, an educational year.

It seems paradoxical that such a tremendous international conflict could have a positive outcome for the local students gaining their education. Simultaneously, it is important to concentrate on the fact that the new approach expressed by educators is essential both for the international relations already in a tight spot due to the conflict and domestic issues. In the first case, the conflict is only escalating, and it would have obvious consequences with the lack of effective truce. As for the latter, the utilization of current political events will boost other educators into using this strategy for enhancing the educational process quality, and create a more informed and critical electorate.