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Clear and Present Danger podcast - Special Edition – Suzanne Nossel

In this special episode, we will once again take a closer look at today’s challenges to free speech. With me to discuss the matter in hand is Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, who has just published her new book, Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All. 

The conversation revolves around Suzanne’s book and includes matters such as: 

  • The motivation and story behind the book;
  • How Suzanne’s 20 principles for free speech aims to provide a toolset needed to speak one’s mind in today’s diverse, digitized, and highly-divided society without resorting to curbs on free expression;
  • How we deal with hate speech without sacrificing free speech;
  • How we characterize the harm speech can do;
  • How so-called “cancel culture” has migrated from campus to elite media and corporate and cultural institutions;
  • How we balance media platforms’ right to control public discourse and the snowballing societal consensus that media platforms need to do more to mitigate the harms of content posted on their services. 

Prior to leading PEN America, Nossel served as the chief operating officer of Human Rights Watch and the executive director of Amnesty International USA. She also held senior State Department positions in the Clinton and Obama administrations.

Why have kings, emperors, and governments killed and imprisoned people to shut them up? And why have countless people risked death and imprisonment to express their beliefs? Jacob Mchangama guides you through the history of free speech from the trial of Socrates to the Great Firewall.

You can subscribe and listen to Clear and Present Danger on Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayYouTubeTuneIn, and Stitcher, or download episodes directly from SoundCloud.

Stay up to date with Clear and Present Danger on the show’s Facebook and Twitter pages, or visit the podcast’s website at freespeechhistory.com. Email us feedback at freespeechhistory@gmail.com.

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