Alexander Thomas
Number of articles: 4First article: September 12, 2014
Latest article: December 5, 2014
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Protest politics: breaking news beyond the bubble
The tales are eye opening. Tear gas, birdshot and police brutality define vivid recollections of a revolutionary time, but this week brought a reminder that nothing has really changed. No, I [Alex] am not talking about the Civil Rights Movement and Ferguson, MO, but instead about the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak during the Arab Spring and his imminent release from jail after the charges against him for overseeing the deaths of 800 protesters were thrown out by a judge.
Being abroad has given me the opportunity to interact and talk with people who lived and shaped the events that we in the bubble only read about in the international section of the New York Times. Over the past few weeks, an Egyptian professor of mine has been slowly divulging his experiences of living in Tahrir Square, while venting his frustration with the current regime for releasing back into society those who supervised the violence he experienced.
My professor joined the protests after a canister of tear gas flew through the window of his classroom at the American University in Cairo. This, among other events caused the University’s administration to cancel classes and evacuate all non-Egyptian students and professors. Over the next two weeks he lived in the square, only returning home to shower, change his clothes and see his family.
During the course of the protests he documented the scenes he saw in over 13,000 photos, witnessed eight protesters die and was shot in seven places with bird pellet, one piece of which he refused to let the doctors remove so it could serve as a reminder of the crimes the regime had committed against its people.
My professor’s story is just one of many, and these stories aren’t a new phenomenon. Scholars and intellectuals have a long history of involvement in conflict but today, more than ever, academic institutions have become specific targets for attack. Universities, academics and students across the world, from Colombia to Pakistan, are being targeted by governments and militants for their desire to learn and engage with the global academy.
This singling out has led to a massive exodus of professors and students from conflict zones to refugee camps and areas where they are unable to continue their research and studies. The rise in academic refugees has largely been a product of the increasingly hostile stance towards scholarship taken by those fighting wars. Take Boko Haram, a militant group in Nigeria whose name means “western education is forbidden,” or ISIS, which has waged a campaign of destruction aimed at academic institutions across Syria and Iraq.
This is a problem not only for the students and teachers it directly affects, but also for the international academic community that has lost valuable participants in scholarly discourse to violent conflict.
So what can we inside the bubble do for those who have been forced to leave theirs?
For one, Bowdoin could consider hosting displaced academics from conflict zones around the world that have been unable to find institutions in their immediate regions. This precedent has existed since World War II, when American colleges and universities played a crucial role in helping scholars flee Nazi Europe.
Today, organizations such as the Institute for International Education continue this legacy by facilitating temporary placements for academic refugees at willing host institutions until domestic conditions in their home countries are conducive for their return.
Hosting academic refugees would not only help these professors who wish to continue their teaching and studies, but also help our campus.
Bowdoin is a pretty homogeneous place when it comes down to it, but there exists a yearning on campus to engage further afield. This desire ought to be met by the institution. In bringing professors to campus who may have experienced first-hand what we learn about in government, history and sociology classes or who have new insights on regional topics, we would broaden our perspectives as an institution.
This is not to say that our education today is lacking—our professors foster our abilities to think critically, write well and apply what we learn to a variety of situations. However, we do need more opportunities to humanize the issues that are all too often sensationalized in the media, through the thoughts and ideas of those grappling with the issues first hand. These perspectives aren’t prevalent in the American academic and scholarly discourse or in our immediate community, and these international scholars could provide them. This proposal would clearly represent a financial burden to the College, but we believe that the benefits to the College, and such an immense contribution to the common good, would greatly outweigh any costs.
Our experiences, whether abroad or on campus, have convinced us both that there are many ways that Bowdoin students can begin to unravel the problems that our world faces. As global dynamics change, it has become clear that we must work more concertedly to engage with scholars and opinions from outside the West.
Besides building a knowledge-base to tackle relevant issues, it is necessary that we as students begin thinking critically about how we engage the world through the structure and content of our Bowdoin education. Besides conventional intellectual engagement, it is important that we freely invite and explore the views of those whose experiences are truly immersed in the realities of our changing world. In other words, let’s ensure that Bowdoin graduates continue to feel at home in all lands, and confident that they have the key to the world’s library in their pockets for years and years to come.
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Need it or leave it: winter clothing edition
While we usually turn to current events and offer our perspectives on important issues, this week we analyze an equally important aspect of our everyday lives: weather. Alexander is currently frolicking in the deserts of Qatar and enjoying a balmy 80 degrees (no drink in hand however, so people here on campus win on that front).
Meanwhile, everyone on campus will soon catch a chill, suffer from frostbite and regret ever gallivanting through a blizzard. Obviously, being in such a distinctly different environment has triggered intense meditations and discussions on weather and how it affects our experiences in different places. Like we said, different weather, different life experience.
Indeed, the forecasts for the encroaching winter call to mind a particularly treacherous evening featuring sub-30 degree temps. At that time, Bowdoin Security grimly warned our campus about going outside, lest we suffer a swift death via the demented wind chill factors.
However, Alexander is now ruminating on what is actually necessary to bring when he returns to campus in the spring, so we would like to offer our humble opinions on specific items and gear that people will need to survive the winter—one that Farmer’s Almanac is saying will cause this great country to become a “refriger-nation.”
Bean Boots, around $110: A Maine (read: Bowdoin) staple that is absolutely essential both in terms of fashion and utility. These duck hunting boots will keep your feet dry and toasty even in the face of Mother Nature’s worst spawn, the polar vortex. Alexander desperately wishes he could wear his in Qatar, but that is just nonsensical.
Necessity ratingDanny: 5/5Alexander: 5/5
Patagonia down jacket, between $150 and $400: Danny believes that a Bowdoin experience simply is not complete without a down sweater or jacket. He highly recommends quickly looking through Patagonia’s array of options. They come in a delightfully vivacious assortment of colors that might also help a driver see you in a blinding snowstorm. Alexander, who is cautious about overheating in the desert, advises against such frivolous items.
Necessity ratingDanny: 5/5Alexander: 3/5
Flannels, around $40: While they are a fun and cozy layer that can also help you feel like a true Mainer, Danny does not think flannels will do much for you in the face of a Nor’easter. There is also fashion to consider here. Being in Qatar, however, has made Alexander nostalgic for Maine, and he encourages the wearing of flannels while it is socially acceptable to do so.
Necessity ratingDanny: 3/5Alexander: 5/5
Flannel-Lined Pants, around $40: While Alexander, currently wearing shorts and tanning on a beach on the Arabian Gulf, loves the feel of the sun on his legs, he still prefers the warm embrace of expertly brushed flannel. Just as linen pants are sometimes necessary to protect yourself from a sandstorm in the Middle East, so are flannel-lined pants necessary in the face of an Arctic wind. Danny, however, assures you that you can survive without these bulky, khaki monstrosities.
Necessity ratingDanny: 0/5Alexander: 5/5
Wool coat, around $200: This classic comes in all styles, shapes and sizes and is the ultimate overcoat. We highly recommend all things wool—gloves, hats, sweaters and obviously, coats. While abroad, Alexander has reached the conclusion that every climate calls for a particular item, and this is the one for the Northeast.
Necessity ratingDanny: 4/5Alexander: 5/5
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No simple answers when it comes to ISIS in the Middle East
It seems that the Bowdoin Bubble has finally popped. While we are usually immune to the panic and the distress that the rest of the world faces, the rise of ISIS in the Middle East has achieved a trance-like hold over the student body.
Here at Bowdoin, conversations about ISIS usually revolve around sensationalist fears that our homeland is no longer safe, or focus heavily on the brutal violence and the despicable videos of executions that the group uploads online.
As The New York Times reported, we have Republicans to blame for the ridiculous idea, still circulating now, that ISIS might try to enter the U.S. via the Mexican border. Additionally, in obsessing over the media coverage of the violence, it seems that the Bowdoin community has forgotten that the problems regarding ISIS are both complex and multilayered. For a new source of information, then, we might consider Alexander’s viewpoint as a Polar Bear now in the Middle East:
The first thing that we should explore is what Arabs call this violent group. It goes by many names, but throughout the Middle East it is referred to as Daesh. Daesh is an acronym for the Arabic name of the group, Al-Dawla al-Islamiya al-Iraq al-Sham, which sounds similar to the word in Arabic that means “to crush” or “to trample.”
People here in Qatar and across the Middle East use this name to refer to the group and its destructive ways in one short word. There have been reports that Daesh fighters have flogged people in territory they control just for using this name, so it’s the name we will use going forward.
My assumption going into the semester was that the war in Syria was still a civil war being fought between government forces and rebel forces made up of the Free Syrian Army, Daesh and the Nusra Front. However, a few conversations with Syrian classmates have made me rethink things.
Firstly, the majority of the Syrians I have talked to agree that the “revolution” has been hijacked by thugs and terrorists that wish only to gain territory and money.
Very few rebel groups continue to fight in the name of Syria. Daesh rallies around its own national causes and the Nusra Front rallies around an international call to arms. This is a war that is no longer about Syria or Iraq, even though it takes place in both Syria and Iraq. The internationalization of the conflict is devastating for Syrians, because their cities and homes are now being destroyed in the name of ideologies and beliefs not of their own making.
Furthermore, my initial tendency was to lump Daesh and the Nusra Front in one pool of crazy terrorist organizations bent on destroying the West. However, the reality is that animosity exists between the two groups, and Arabs express very different sentiments regarding each.
Believe it or not, Daesh and the Nusra Front actively engage in combat against one another, and at least a few Qatari classmates of mine believe Daesh was fostered by the Assad regime to weaken the Nusra Front.
That’s just one of many conspiracy theories that abound about the rise of Daesh, but let’s return to the facts. Unlike the Nusra Front, Daesh has no foreign objectives at this point because it is too concerned with consolidating territory, recruiting more citizens and ensuring service provision in the areas it governs.
Daesh is similar in a sense to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan pre-9/11; however, as of now it appears it has learned from the Taliban’s experience and has rejected aligning with transnational terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda.
This is not to say that in the future Daesh won’t focus its sights on the West or harbor a group that does, but for now it appears to be acting solely to enlarge and protect the territory it controls.
This point is supported by Daesh’s strategic decision not to engage in Turkish territory in order to avoid a ground war with the second largest army in NATO.
Daesh is not a benign group, and it poses a substantial threat not only to regional stability but also to the very idea of national identity. In order to be a helpful player in this crisis, America must better understand the motives and makeup of Daesh, and what our regional allies think of the group. Let’s work on bursting the bubble and exploring issues from the other side.
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Breaking the Bowdoin cycle of angst
The beginning of a new academic year is always exciting. Reuniting with friends, exchanging tales of absurd shenanigans from the summer, and, let’s be real, going to the lobster bake—all these things make for a delightful cocktail of fun times and cute outfits.
However, this time of peace will be torn apart by the stress and angst, both social and academic, that will descend upon the campus in about two weeks time.
The first years got a head start in the angst-fest when they stomped around New England during their godforsaken Orientation trips with people they had never met.
The sophomores, on the other hand, appear slightly more relaxed at this point, despite the tidal wave of decisions they will have to make this year: WTF even is a major? Should I go abroad? Should I get an internship?
Don’t get us started about the seniors. The stress and uncertainty already emanating from visitors to the Career Planning Center and the inhabitants of the Tower merit mandatory meetings with the Counseling Center. We encourage all of you to make an appointment as soon as possible.
As for the juniors—half of us are gone, half remain. Yes, we miss each other. Yes, it is awful. However, this accursed situation does allow for some entertainment. For the next semester we will offer you our perspectives, from inside and outside the Bowdoin bubble, on whatever it is that is gnawing at the soon-to-be frozen souls that inhabit this campus.
We can only hope that Alexander’s perspective from abroad will offer a respite from the rampant bitching that will soon plague the. We also look forward to his special investigation into missing British human rights workers, what it’s like to live somewhere without snow and with sun, and most importantly, 10 ways to occupy yourself when you can’t stream Netflix.
But returning to campus, the first years and their social anxiety were on full display this past week. We all remember the days we depended on easy conversation starters and ice breakers, such as: where are you from? What dorm are you in? What Pre-O did you do?
This year, we heard a new way to kick off a conversation—by taking shots at our dear campus’ pink monolithic structure, Searles Science Building. To summarize the eloquence of a typical conversation: “it’s ugly.” “Yup.”
People pick on Searles because it’s one of the easiest things to talk about, but we can be more creative. You can discuss the worst eyesore on campus, the Visual Arts Center, with its heinous 70s architecture.
What are the meanings behind the yonic nature of the VAC and the phallic towers of the chapel? Why the postmodern glass entrance to a renaissance-inspired museum? You could even talk about the crumbling foundation of Burnett House.
Alas, none of these more riveting topics of conversation were chosen since they would have demanded less superficial discussions between first years.
What was happening is what always seems to be happening on campus. We have a habit of choosing the easy conversations and ignoring the difficult or more interesting ones in an effort to appear put-together.
Bowdoin students don’t do “disheveled”—we leave that to kids at Colby and Bates. Even the kids who do look disheveled spent a lot of time digging around “Salvo” looking for that perfect owl shirt and hand knit sweater.
We look nice everyday, get to class, offer politically correct statements in difficult discussions, smile fabulously on the Quad, rant online, and then silently cry in our showers.
We hope that the new first year class will break this culture—we hope first years choose the difficult conversations, attack the issues they are passionate about with energy and unashamed intellectualism, and realize that they will learn more about (and from) their peers when they say provocative and thought provoking things.
We all feel stressed out and angsty from time to time, and we all deserve to rant whine, and bitch. Let’s at least make our screeds meaningful and interesting this year.
Hopefully our confessions will move from Facebook pages to the dining hall tables, and then finally we will admit that we might not have it all together. We are capable of that much—because let’s be honest—how many of our worries here aren’t #firstworldproblems?