EXCEL Program explores War in American Culture

Huntington, Ind. "From the Vietnam War to the present turmoil in the Middle East, war has had a stimulating effect in American culture. The Huntington College EXCEL Program offers an avenue for adults to gather and investigate the reasons why America has gone to war over the last 50 years. The public is invited to enroll for credit or non-credit.

Taught by Dr. Jeffery Webb, associate professor of history at Huntington College, War in American Culture: Vietnam to the Present will be offered each Tuesday from 6 " 10 p.m., August 24-September 21. Registration will be taken in the EXCEL Office through August 17.

War in American Culture: Vietnam to the Present offers a review of American military operations from the earliest years of the Vietnam conflict to Operation Iraqi Freedom, including the current war on terror in Afghanistan and around the world. Through official documents, soldiers' memoirs, interactive battle maps, war films and documentaries, students will study many aspects of modern warfare.

In addition to investigating the reasons why America has gone to war, the class will also examine the effects of politics, geography, technology and other factors. Students will inspect the effects of military action in American social and cultural life, while wrestling with the moral dimensions of war, including the different Christian perspectives on war and violence such as just war theology and Christian pacifism.

If you want a vital historical perspective on important contemporary issues like counter-terrorism, U.S. foreign policy and the question of civil liberties in times of war, this is the place to get it, said Webb, who holds a PhD in history from the University of Chicago, a Master of Arts degree from Cleveland State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Baldwin-Wallace College.

Webb has taught at Huntington College since 1999, and in 2002, he was named Professor of the Year by the student body. Webb most recently authored his first book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Christianity Today, and presented his paper, Apes in Purple Robes: Signs of Power in Early America, at the Third International Conference on Hierarchy and Power in the History of Civilization held in Moscow, Russia.

For more information on the EXCEL Program or to register for the class, contact the EXCEL Office at (260) 359-4162 or visit the website at www.huntington.edu/excel.