{"product_id":"understanding-the-war-in-iran","title":"Understanding the War in Iran - 12 Nov 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Arvo, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; background-color: #f7f9fc;\"\u003eThis program is free and open to all - or pay what you wish to support Green Mountain Academy at a level that feels right to you.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0in; color: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; line-height: 18.4px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Avenir Next LT Pro', sans-serif;\"\u003eWhat is going on in the Persian Gulf? What should be kept in mind to assess and comprehend the key developments in the Middle East? In this talk, the key aspects of Iranian history and culture will be highlighted in order to better gain a deeper understanding of how the Islamic Republic of Iran is organized, how its policies are justified, and how it views it interests in the region. Given the economic and political stakes in this war and in the region, the developments in the Persian Gulf impacts us all. Yet all too often over the last 50 years, Iranian culture and history has been misunderstood or underappreciated, which has led to serious miscalculations with costly consequences for us all.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0in; color: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; line-height: 18.4px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Avenir Next LT Pro', sans-serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0in; color: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; line-height: 18.4px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Avenir Next LT Pro', sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGuest Speaker:\u003cbr\u003eMagnús T. Bernhardsson\u003c\/strong\u003e specializes in the modern Middle East, specifically the political and cultural history of Hashmite Iraq (1921-1958). After earning his B.A. degree in theology and political science at the University of Iceland, he came to the United States and completed a masters degree in religion from Yale Divinity School in 1992. After a year in Syria studying Arabic, he returned to Yale and finished a Ph.D in Middle Eastern History in 1999. Prior to coming to Williams in 2003, he taught at Hofstra University for four years. He is the author of several books and edited volumes including \u003cem\u003eReclaiming a Plundered Past. Archaeology and Nation Building in Modern Iraq\u003c\/em\u003e (Texas, 2005). He is currently researching and writing a book called \u003cem\u003eHistory be Dammed! \u003c\/em\u003ewhich is about hydro-electric dams in the Middle East and how they have impacted and destroyed historical sites.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"event-calendar-app","offers":[{"title":"In Person: Pay What You Wish - FREE","offer_id":47520676217023,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"In Person: Pay What You Wish - $10","offer_id":47520678117567,"sku":null,"price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"In Person: Pay What You Wish - $20","offer_id":47520678183103,"sku":null,"price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"In Person: Pay What You Wish - $50","offer_id":47520678674623,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Live Stream: Pay What You Wish - FREE","offer_id":67683537256639,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Live Stream: Pay What You Wish - $10","offer_id":67683538927807,"sku":null,"price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Live Stream: Pay What You Wish - $20","offer_id":67683539550399,"sku":null,"price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Live Stream: Pay What You Wish - $50","offer_id":67683539943615,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/4723\/6799\/files\/unnamed_aea79de6-ddc5-425b-a2cf-26325c47b3f1.jpg?v=1790025697","url":"https:\/\/greenmtnacademy.org\/products\/understanding-the-war-in-iran","provider":"Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning","version":"1.0","type":"link"}