FREE SPEECH ON CAMPUS: Debate with Rae Langton et al.
14 March 2017 - 7.45 pm to 9.15 pm
Bateman Auditorium. Gonville and Caius College
Free entry
Speakers:
Dr Victoria Bateman, Faculty of Economics / Gonville and Caius
Srishti Krishnamoorthy-Cavell, Faculty of English / Newnham
Prof. Rae Langton, Faculty of Philosophy / Newnham
Ella Whelan, Spiked magazine
The apparent threats to free speech are both internal and external.
Students' Union officials have banned songs ('Blurred Lines' at Edinburgh
and Leeds) and societies (the Nietzsche Club at UCL) and have attempted to
ban speakers (Germaine Greer at Cardiff and Cambridge). Universities
themselves have restricted speech: for instance, Christ Church in Oxford
recently banned a debate on abortion in response to student pressure.
Recent 'Prevent' legislation together with existing legislation (such as
the Public Order Act) has created further restrictions on which speakers a
university can invite and on what they can say if they ever get there. And
all of this takes place in the context of increasing government
surveillance and intrusion into private life.
That at least is how it might look. But are the threats to free speech more
apparent than real? And if they are real, could they in fact be appropriate
responses to well-motivated concerns? What is the value of free speech
itself? Do we serve these purposes well by insisting on protecting it at
almost any cost?
Four experts will speak on these topics before discussing them first with
one another and then with the audience. The event will last for about 90
minutes. Entrance is free and all are welcome.
For queries contact Dr Arif Ahmed, Faculty of Philosophy ([email protected]).
--
Arif Ahmed
Faculty of Philosophy
University of Cambridge
Sidgwick Avenue
Cambridge CB3 9DA
http://www.phil.cam.ac.uk/people/teaching-research-pages/ahmed/ahmed-page
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