Two Knox College professors who are experts on the Middle East will conduct a panel discussion, "The Consequences of the Iraqi Constitution," at 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 1, in Ferris Lounge, Seymour Union, on the Knox campus in Galesburg, Illinois. The event is sponsored by the Knox College Center for Global Studies, as part of The People Speak community discussion series. It is free and open to the public, and Middle Eastern refreshments will be served.

The panelists are Roy Andersen, Timme Professor of Economics; and Robert Seibert, Murphy Professor of Political Science. Andersen, Seibert and Jon Wagner, professor of anthropology at Knox, are co-authors of "Politics and Change in the Middle East," a popular college-level textbook now in its eighth edition. Andersen traveled to Iraq just prior to the 1991 Gulf War, and both speakers have been to the Middle East numerous times.

The moderator is Joshua Koenigs, a senior integrated international studies major at Knox College.

Refreshments will feature Middle Eastern foods -- hummus, pita, baklava, and tea.

The People Speak was created in 2003 by the United Nations Foundation and group of non-partisan organizations to provide forums for Americans to discuss policies affecting their future. Last year, the program sponsored more than 2,000 discussions across the U.S., involving the general public, educational institutions, religious organizations, community groups, and the media.

In Galesburg, The People Speak is sponsored by the Knox College Center for Global Studies, which coordinates off-campus study and opportunities for students and the community to discuss and learn about global issues.

Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, with students from 46 states and 43 nations. Knox's 'Old Main' is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.