This event is presented by the Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse and the Chicago Center on Democracy at the University of Chicago. Over the past few years, there has been much debate about the tensions between protecting free speech and creating an inclusive environment on university campuses. There are many interesting and unresolved questions in this area, such as:

What is the role of “civility” in conversations on campus? Are calls for civility a weapon used by those who wish to silence certain voices, or is civility a necessary condition for productive discussion?

What is the appropriate role of student disruption of classes in response to offensive material in the curriculum?

How can universities create spaces that are safe for students, while avoiding insulating them from new ideas?

To discuss these types of questions, two entities at the University of Chicago—the Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse and the Chicago Center on Democracy—have convened an all-star panel of five university administrators. In “Free Expression on Campus,” they will discuss how universities are working to resolve the tensions between protecting free speech and creating an inclusive environment on campus. We encourage you to register.
Moderator will be Leila Brammer, Director, Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse. Panelists will include:
Sean Decatur, President, Kenyon College
Kimberly Goff-Crews, Secretary and Vice President for University life, Yale University
Michael Roth, President, Wesleyan University
Michele Rasmussen, Dean of Students, University of Chicago
Geoffrey Stone, Professor of Law and former Provost, University of Chicago