NEH Distinguished Teaching Professors

Jahan Ramazani
Project Summary (2001-2004)

Jahan Ramazani's vision of intellectual community aims toward engaging undergraduates fully in the academic life of the University. He envisions courses that stimulate a hunger for intellectual give-and-take so profound that it permeates students’ rooms, mealtimes, social interactions, conversations on the Lawn, and even discussions with their parents. Ramazani’s goal: helping undergraduates make dedication to the life of the mind a lifelong value.

Ramazani examines key issues related to fostering intellectual community: How can we create classes that encourage introspection, intense engagement, passionate debate, and pleasure in encountering previously unfamiliar bodies of knowledge? He explores how best to utilize three important strategies:

• debate
  
• electronic communication
  
• cooperative learning.
  

In addition to conducting classroom experimentation and publishing his own research on these topics, he will convene interdisciplinary faculty workshops, panels and create other interactions to examine how each strategy can be used to deepen scholarly exchange. By enhancing the debate about best teaching practices, Ramazani hopes to cultivate intellectual community among colleagues as well as undergraduates.