By Marisa Young | Staff Writer
In today’s polarized political, scientific and religious climate, students are taking matters into their own hands to embrace the art of civil discourse in society.
Phi Alpha Theta strives for civil discourse by “promoting the scholarship and study of history among all university students,” according to Houston senior and vice president Natalie Fakhriravari.
As a national honors society, Phi Alpha Theta encourages academic excellence in students while fostering a space for civil discourse. While it mainly attracts history majors and minors, membership is open to all who meet the requirements, Fakhriravari said.
On Friday, Phi Alpha Theta hosted its biannual book sale, featuring books on history, religion and philosophy. Fakhriravari said the books for sale are all donations from professors and faculty from the history, religion and sociology departments, and even some donations from First Gent Brad Livingstone.
“The retired late Dr. Hendon was kind enough to donate his entire collection of 1,500 books,” Fakhriravari said. “He was a German historian, and so he has a lot of books directly about like Nazi ideology and all these different political ideologies.”
Fakhriravari said it is important to engage with old texts when discussing modern issues, even if the ideas themselves are outdated or incorrect.
“I think we need to look at everything as a historical document or a product of the time,” Fakhriravari said. “I would argue that some of the books we have might not necessarily be politically correct for today’s day and age, however, they’re really useful to the study of society at different times, throughout different periods and different cultures.”
Furthermore, Fakhriravari emphasized the importance of looking at historical pieces in their context in order to apply them to current situations.
“Everything’s a product of its own time and environment, and even if it’s not indicative of the world we live in right now, it’s important to still hold on to these relics and study them as pieces of history,” Fakhriravari said.
When entering conversations surrounding these often tricky topics, Fakhriravari said it is important to approach the other person with “an open mind and with the goal to listen.”
In order for the conversation to be productive, Fakhriravari said both parties must be willing to have their own mind changed, rather than solely determined to change someone else’s.
Amarillo senior and member of Phi Alpha Theta Katie Curley said events like the book sale are a step forward in creating areas of civil discourse on campus.
“I think the book sale is honestly a great place to start because we have a bunch of books that are very accessible in price,” Curley said. “We have a variety of topics from a variety of authors. This is just a place that’s open to discussion.”
To learn more about applying for Phi Alpha Theta membership, students can visit their website.
