Stern’s approach is more calm than reactionary. She advocates the inclusion of all parties in discussions of global terror and difference of belief.

Once, when an extremist leader in Pakistan sought to lecture in one of her classes, Stern was very open to the idea—though technical complications prevented it from panning out in the end.

“I think it would be good for him to be exposed to my class and great for my class to be exposed to him,” she said.

She says she believes that this open dialogue will ultimately be effective in reducing the threat of terrorism.

“I think that exposure and exchange is important. I think it’s important that the U.S. government is in constant communication with people in the Islamic world, and not just moderates,” Stern says.

—Staff writer Emily S. High can be reached at high@fas.harvard.edu.