Anti-Democratic Trends and the University Space

Scholars at Risk and the Human Rights Program at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College are pleased to host a public launch event for Free to Think 2017.

Tuesday, October 3, 2017 | 12:00-2:00 PM
Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College
47-49 East 65th Street, New York, NY 10065
Lunch will be served, and seating is limited. To attend, please RSVP.

This year, Scholars at Risk’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project has reported a continuing global crisis in attacks on higher education communities. In Pakistan, a student was beaten to death by his peers based on rumors of blasphemy. In Venezuela, students led protests against their government and were met with violence. In Turkey, thousands of scholars and students have been summarily dismissed from their universities, barred from travel, and detained. And in Hungary, legislation was adopted with the aim of shutting down a world-class university.

While these attacks differ in region and scope, they all share a common motivation: to control or silence higher education institutions and personnel. How do we combat this global crisis and ensure the security, well-being, and sustainable future of the university space?

The panel discussion will feature:

• Raza Ahmad Rumi – Scholar in Residence, Ithaca College, and author, policy analyst, and journalist from Pakistan
• Laura Cristina Dib Ayesta – International Human Rights LLM Candidate, University of Notre Dame, and student activist from Venezuela
• Jonathan Cole – John Mitchell Mason Professor of the University, Columbia University
• Robert Quinn – Executive Director, Scholars at Risk
• John Wallach (Moderator) – Professor of Political Science, Hunter College and CUNY Graduate Center, and Co-Founder and First Chair, Hunter College Human Rights Program

RSVP