Difficult Dialogue: The First Amendment
Difficult Dialogue: The First Amendment

A conversation on threats to and protections of First Amendment freedoms.
About the Event
Event Overview
- Part of the CHA鈥檚 Difficult Dialogue series
- Monday, January 20, 11:00am - 1:00pm
馃搷 CBIS Room, Norlin Library
馃嵔锔 Lunch provided
馃 Co-sponsored by the Keller Center
馃师锔 Free and open to the public
馃摑 Registration coming soon
Event Description
It has been a year since the second Trump administration took office, and during this time we have seen increasing challenges to rights and protections that many in the United States have long taken for granted鈥攑articularly those guaranteed by the First Amendment.
This collaborative event, co-sponsored by the Center for Humanities & the Arts (CHA) and the Keller Center, brings together faculty experts from journalism, political science, and law to examine contemporary threats to freedoms of speech, religion, assembly, the press, and the right to petition the government for redress of grievances. Panelists will share their scholarly perspectives on these developments, discuss why these freedoms matter in the current political climate, and offer insight into how individuals and institutions can work to strengthen and defend First Amendment protections.
As part of the Difficult Dialogue series, this event emphasizes thoughtful engagement, audience participation, and respectful discussion of complex and urgent issues shaping public life today.
Panelists
Mike McDevitt
Professor of Journalism, 麻豆免费版下载Boulder
/cmdi/people/journalism/michael-mcdevitt
Michaele Ferguson
Professor of Political Science, 麻豆免费版下载Boulder
/polisci/people/faculty/michaele-ferguson
Helen Norton
University Distinguished Professor of Law, 麻豆免费版下载Boulder
/law/about/contact-us/directories/resident-faculty-directory/helen-norton
Moderator
Maggie McNulty
PhD Student, Department of History, 麻豆免费版下载Boulder
/history/maggie-mcnulty
Discussion Topics & Guiding Questions
This panel will explore questions such as:
- Why is the First Amendment especially important in the current political moment?
- What threats to First Amendment freedoms are most concerning today?
- How vulnerable are First Amendment protections in the United States?
- What roles can individuals, universities, and public institutions play in defending these rights?
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