Chico-to-Cairo: An Analysis of International Virtual Discussions of Terrorism

Abstract

In a globalized world, bringing international voices into the political science classroom takes on renewed urgency. Whether focusing on the readings included in a syllabus, the learning activities that expose students to other perspectives, or physical travel to a foreign locale, political science classes – especially Comparative Politics and International Relations courses – face the pedagogical task of conveying the different political perspectives held diverse groups and states. In this article, I build on prior calls for internationalizing the classroom and develop a videoconference discussion of terrorism between students in Chico, California and Cairo, Egypt. In addition to reviewing my collaboration with a faculty member in Egypt and the structuring of this discussion activity, I present survey data from students who attended the international videoconference and those that attended class instead. Both groups reported an increased confidence in their knowledge of terrorism however the students that took part in the videoconference displayed more nuanced understanding of terrorism as well as less stereotypical thinking about the Middle East. Based on this study I argue for the creation of a more formal networking opportunities between US-based and foreign-based instructors in order to facilitate the availability of simple, low-cost international experiences as part of a more globally inclusive classroom.