Free and open to the public.

With the 2020 election season picking up steam, debates over free speech, truth, and the university are of increasing relevance to the health of American democracy. But in an era of deepening polarization, many see these issues through partisan eyes, shouting into fractured echo chambers. Campuses seem to be at a cross-roads—can they restore a common understanding of facts, and of the rules of engagement and disagreement? Or are they in danger of buckling under the weight of our current culture war?

Co-sponsored by PEN America and NYU’s Center for the Humanities and Institute for Public Knowledge, this panel aims to bring together academics, writers, and students for a spirited discussion of these issues. The panel will also serve to launch PEN America’s new Campus Free Speech Guide, an online resource offering a range of tips on contemporary challenges related to free speech on campus. Through the event, we aim to situate the guide in a larger discussion about universities’ responsibility in pursuing and defending truth in a political climate in which the very concept of truth is under attack, and the ways in which issues surrounding free expression, academic freedom, and diversity and inclusion intersect with that responsibility.

Please note that doors open at 6:15pm and seating is limited. RSVP is required, but does not guarantee admission. No late seating.