GMC News

World Affairs Seminar

Two members of the Georgia Military College faculty were recently invited to be presenters at the World Affairs Seminar held at Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School near Flint, Michigan. Mr. Rob Sherwood, GMC Assistant Professor of History, and Mr. Edward Shelor, GMC Division Chair for the Social and Behavioral Sciences and Assistant Professor of History, engaged the students in a presentation titled \”Conflict Resolution in Bosnia? Is a Long-Term Solution Possible?\”

Sherwood presented the historical context for the region going back to the Roman Empire, through the Ottoman Empire, and up to modern Yugoslavia. Shelor then addressed the more recent history of the Balkans, the war in 1992-1995, and follow-on attempts at resolution. Shelor, a retired US Marine Lieutenant Colonel, served in Bosnia on a Special Operations Task Force directed to apprehend persons indicted for war crimes. This allowed him first-hand observation of the effects of the war, politics, and other events in the region which added to the understanding of the geo-political realities of the Balkan region. Sherwood and Shelor made their presentation to a total of about 200 Upper School students from a variety of nations who were attending the World Affairs Seminar.

The seminar’s key note speaker was Nontombi Naomi Tutu, the daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa. Although currently a resident of Nashville, Tennessee, she addressed some of her father’s experiences in South Africa under apartheid. Additionally, Pakistani, Chinese, and Russian presenters covered a wide range of other topics with a global focus relevant to today’s students.

Shelor said, “We met members of the Cranbrook Kingswood faculty at the World History Association Conference in California last summer. From that meeting the idea of our participation in the World Affairs Seminar developed as they were interested in having a first-hand observer to the Bosnian situation. It was rather inspiring to be there with such an interesting group of colleagues and students who were interested in global issues. The 430-acre campus and the all the people we met while there were first-class in every way.\” The Cranbrook Kingswood World Affairs Seminar is an annual full-day event that brings professionals and students together to share perspectives on global issues.

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