Release Date: January 17, 2007

MONMOUTH, Ill. — The topic “Middle East” will kick off the 27th year of the Great Decisions program at Monmouth College on Jan. 24. Ira Smolensky, MC Professor of Political Science, will introduce the topic at 7:30 p.m. in the Tartan Room of the college’s Stockdale Center.

Following Smolensky’s opening remarks, there will be approximately one hour of group discussion.

Since 1981, Great Decisions has operated as a forum where the public and the academic community can freely meet in a congenial setting and talk about world affairs. All nine Great Decisions programs this semester are free and open to the public.

For those who don’t mind a little homework, a companion guide called “Great Decisions 2007” is available in the Monmouth College bookstore. It includes nine chapters, each of which takes about a half-hour to read. The final topic, “North Korea,” will be discussed March 28.

“The book is optional, but I encourage people to read it because it presents an excellent and well-balanced introduction to each topic and does so in a very non-partisan way,” said MC political science professor Ira Smolensky, who serves as one of the program coordinators.

Great Decisions is a nationwide program sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association, a non-partisan, non-governmental association that works to increase Americans’ understanding of significant foreign policy issues.

For more information on Great Decisions at Monmouth College, contact Smolensky at 309-457-2102 or assistant professor of history Amy de Farias at 309-457-2243.

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