Last week, New York Times columnist David French visited WashU Law for a conference on Educating for Citizenship: Universities and Democracy in a Pluralistic Society, sponsored in collaboration with, Templeton Religion Trust, the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy, and the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics.
On Thursday, September 11, French joined Bard College professor Roosevelt Montás and George Washington University law professor Mary-Rose Papandrea for a panel discussion moderated by Professor Inazu titled Educating for Democracy: Pitfalls and Possibilities. The panel explored how universities can fulfill their mission of educating students in an era of polarization, waning trust in institutions, and growing questions about higher education’s cost and relevance.
The following day, French joined Professor Inazu for a conversation cosponsored by the Public Interest Law and Policy Speaker Series on The First Amendment Today: Challenges and Opportunities. Together, they examined the state of free expression in the United States, focusing on issues of speech, religion, pluralism, dissent, and the role of higher education.
Both events drew attendance from students, faculty, and community members.
