Stay Near, Go Far

Each week last fall, a class of Western students faced off with two dozen students attending the Geneva School of Diplomacy, simulating nuclear non-proliferation treaty talks. Using the latest videoconferencing technology and a sophisticated satellite link-up, students in Danbury and Geneva were able to interact “face-to-face” and debate the issues.

Christopher Kukk, Western associate professor of political science, said each student represented a country. After studying each article of the treaty, the students argued their government’s position. “It’s an amazing experience for our students, and there are massive disagreements,” he said. In May, Kukk, Friar Mike Lasky of Western’s Newman Center and students from both Western and Geneva will attend the actual proliferation talks at the United Nations.

The Geneva students are led by a former chief Soviet negotiator for nuclear weapons. Kukk, aFulbright Scholar, is a graduate of the U.S. Army Military Intelligence School’s Counterintelligence Agent Program.