Teach-in on Afghanistan, Pakistan set for next weekend

A group of University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty have organized a teach-in on Afghanistan and Pakistan to be held on campus next weekend, March 19 and 20.

“During the Vietnam War, teach-ins added needed critical information to the public discourse,” says Joseph Elder, a UW–Madison professor of sociology and languages and cultures of Asia. “Now, as the Afghanistan war drags on, several of us UW faculty members believe teach-ins can again add needed critical information to the public discourse.”

The teach-in will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 19, in the Alumni Lounge of the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St., with a faculty panel that will include Uli Schamiloglu, professor of languages and cultures of Asia; and Alfred McCoy and Jeremi Suri, professors of history. Matt Rothschild, editor of The Progressive magazine, will chair the session and offer opening remarks on the tradition of teach-ins on the UW–Madison campus.

The teach-in will continue from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, March 20, in the Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St., with volunteer panels of faculty, campus, student and community groups. Panels will address such topics as nation-building problems in Afghanistan, shortcomings in counter-insurgency strategies and human factors in the Afghanistan/Pakistan conflict. All sessions will be open to the public.