Freedom of Expression Foundational Theme Year Kickoff Event
“The Indispensable Condition: Freedom of Expression at Cornell” is designed to advance a shared understanding of the significance, history, and challenges of free expression and academic freedom, as well as of the various challenges and approaches to honoring our commitments to both free expression and to being a community of belonging.
The fundamentals of free speech will be explored from a legal perspective. We will discuss foundations of the First Amendment’s protections for speech and assembly; challenges in applying those protections in a democratic and pluralistic society; and how speech principles play out in a rapidly changing digital world. We will also address dynamics of academic freedom and the role of speech and debate in an academic setting, with particular attention to how individuals from different backgrounds and perspectives interact on campus. A Q&A session will follow the main discussion.