Smolensky: Philosopher,
outlaw … excellent
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Mauri Ditzler (right) presents the
Hatch award to Smolensky. |
Times have changed for
political science professor Ira Smolensky since he came to Monmouth
College nearly a quarter century ago in 1984.
Back in the day, he was more apt to be playing baseball than watching
it. Students who got to know him outside the classroom did so in social
settings, such as Scots Day or Homecoming.
“Now, I’m older,” said Smolensky. “But students who want to spend time
with you push their way into your life. They attend office hours, they
want to be invited to your home. After graduation, they continue to
include you in their lives.”
But make no mistake – it’s a push that Smolensky welcomes, and he
believes it adds another dimension to the academic experience.
“A lot of students wouldn’t come to a Monmouth College if they didn’t
have an educational relationship with faculty beyond the classroom,” he
said. “It’s not for everyone. Education is a full-time job, and there’s
a formal and an informal side to it. I really don’t have a philosophy
about it; it comes naturally to me. It’s just something I do.”
That “something” apparently resonates with his students, including two
alumni who nominated Smolensky for the Hatch Teaching Excellence Award,
presented recently at the President’s Homecoming Gala.
“It’s a great honor, and it’s embarrassing,” he said. “I don’t believe I
deserve it more than other professors around here.”
The nominators might disagree. Wrote one, “He saw something in me that I
was not, at the time, able to express, and he drew it out of me over the
course of my Monmouth career … It is impossible to separate my
intellectual, personal and emotional growth when discussing his impact
on my life. This is because I believe he sees them as one; pushing
oneself personally furthers one’s intellectual and emotional capacities,
and vice versa … His impact on my education at Monmouth will forever
enhance the way in which I understand my experiences in this world.”
Smolensky said that teaching at Monmouth has proven to be a two-way
street.
“I get to teach courses that I enjoy. I work with really cool people,
and I get to teach really cool people. I learn a lot from my students.”
Among those courses, one of his favorites is “Anarchism,” a class he’s
currently offering that he’s taught just once before at MC.
“Every now and then, I get a whim to teach it,” he said. “At the other
end of the spectrum is ‘Visions of Justice,’ which is a course I’ve
taught for a number of years. It’s a 100-level course, but I enjoy it
because I get to discuss the great issues like justice, liberty and
equality with a mixture of freshmen students and upperclassmen. There
are some nice interactions that come out of it.”
Another course on Smolensky’s plate this year is “The Democracy
Project,” where his students have been able to follow the presidential
election.
“We’re studying political discourse in the United States, and we’re
using the election as a case study,” he said. “I look at the United
States as an unfinished experiment in democracy. I want it to work out
for the best. A lot of lives are at stake, and the quality of a lot of
lives are at stake. It’s an experiment that can make our lives better,
or it could be a wasted opportunity.”
Asked for his thoughts on the election, he replied, “I’ve believed for a
while that this was the right time for Obama to run. People laughed at
me when I said that a few years ago, but the country is as ready for him
as it’s going to be in the near future. I don’t know if he’ll win or
not, but he’s at least going to come as close as he possibly could
have.”
When it comes to political science, Smolensky calls himself “an outlaw.
I’m a political philosopher. I’m interested in the empirical and the
normative – how things are, how they ought to be.”
He continued, “What most people try to do in political science is apply
scientific method to politics. I believe the study of politics cannot be
nearly as scientific as was once thought. Still, there are some
interesting current attempts to apply game theory and economics to the
study of politics. (Faculty colleague) Tobias Gibson is well-heeled in
these areas and has really updated our methodological expertise. He
really complements our department.”
Smolensky said he’s even an outlaw among his particular niche of
political scientists, preferring “doing” political philosophy over
simply studying “the great thinkers.”
Besides attending his classes, another way to hear some of Smolensky’s
political philosophies is through Monmouth’s “Great Decisions” program,
which has weekly gatherings each January through March.
Smolensky has been involved with the discussion forum for 21 years, and
his commitment goes back to an agreement he had with his late faculty
colleague, Cecil Brett.
“He made me promise that I would continue it,” said Smolensky. “I love
the people who come. It’s a great mixture of town and gown. I’m lucky
that Cecil drew me in.”
When not discussing politics in the classroom, his office or at Great
Decisions, Smolensky is known to several members of the campus community
as a formidable foe in fantasy baseball. His “Irishmen” are two-time
champions of the Monmouthian Phoenix league, thanks in part to
Smolensky’s overly modest philosophy, “It’s better to be lucky than
good.”
Those who know Smolensky might reword that statement when it comes to
his impact on the campus.
Monmouth College has been lucky to have such a good professor.
