McGee Pursues His Interest in Middle East Politics
Posted May 1, 2017
For a student with an interest in the Middle East, sophomore Josiah McGee has had some interesting opportunities to study the Middle East on a trip to Israel and attend the AIPAC Conference this year which sets him up to continue his interests by attending the AEI Summer Honors Seminar on the Middle East. McGee has been fascinated with the history of the Middle East, the intersection of several world religions and cultures, and the remarkable capacity of the region to serve as a microcosm of global conflict and obstacles to peace. Because of this interest, McGee is majoring in International Relations primarily with the goal of identifying causes of conflict so he can better understand how to work for peace in the future.
About a year ago, Dr. Dub Oliver, President of Union University, introduced McGee to an organization called the Philos Project, a group which promotes positive Christian engagement in the Middle East and greater awareness of the complex issues associated with that region. Philos then referred him to a group called Passages which sends Christian college students on 10-day trips to Israel. He went on that 10 day trip last June. Passages helps students explore the biblical and historical roots of their faith in addition to the geopolitical and cultural complexities of the modern state of Israel. While there, McGee visited the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, the city of Jerusalem, and many other biblical sites as well as the West Bank, the Golan Heights, Yad Veshem (the Holocaust Memoral), the Knesset, and many other critical sites which illustrate the geopolitical nature of Israel. Speakers to his group wrestled with subjects like Jewish-Christian relations, Israeli-Palestinian relations, and US-Israeli relations. The trip highlighted the rich connection that students like Josiah have with the land, and it emphasized how remarkably complex conflicts in the region remain.
After returning from that trip, McGee started a leadership course and became a Passages Fellow who serves as staff during return trips to Israel mentoring and leading students experiencing the land for the first time. This summer he will lead students on the trip he took last year. Additionally, Passages Fellows are occasionally invited to conferences and professional development opportunities. Given his interest in Middle Eastern Politics, Passages chose to invite Josiah to the AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington in March.
AIPAC stands for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and the purpose of the policy conference is to educate individuals on the current issues of the Middle East and train them to advocate for various solutions which support Israel’s security and relationship with the U.S. While at the conference, McGee was privileged to hear each member of the House and Senate leadership from both parties, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, Vice President Mike Pence, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and more. Persistent themes included the Syrian conflict; the role of nations like Russia, Iran, and Turkey; persecuted Christians in the Middle East; the delegitimization of Israel in the UN; and the rise of extremism in the region. Through this opportunity, he learned a great deal about the role of the UN in the Middle East, and also had the opportunity to practice many of the skills he have been taught in his Political Science classes or with Passages. In an incredibly diverse environment populated with Jews, Christians, Democrats, and Republicans, McGee learned much about tact, diplomacy, and critical thinking in a bipartisan environment.
Moving forward, McGee will continue his studies of the Middle East by attending the AEI Summer Honors Seminar on the Middle East, making another trip with Passages, and participating in the Philos Leadership Institute this summer. He looks forward to continuing opportunities to explore the region and its potential and hopes to write his senior Honors Thesis on Middle Eastern politics. After graduating Union, he hopes to eventually be able to work on these foreign policy issues with the U.S. government or other intergovernmental or non-governmental organizations.