The Monadnock Summer Lyceum will host Shilpa Jindia for a talk titled “Why Are Ideas Dangerous?: The Fight for Academic Freedom on American Campuses” on Sunday, July 13, at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary at the Peterborough Unitarian Universalist Church, 25 Main St.
Jindia, a writer and attorney, will examine recent campus protests over the Gaza war and how they reflect a broader struggle over free speech and academic freedom.
She will discuss how definitions of antisemitism have been used to justify student detentions and suppress dissent.
Jindia holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Indiana, a master’s in human rights from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a law degree from the City University of New York.
She spent nearly two years in Syria, where she witnessed the impact of U.S. foreign policy as well as the Arab Spring. She has written for The Intercept, Slate, Mother Jones and others.
Welcome music by Kaamadhaynaa begins at 10:30. Bill Fonda, editor of the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript, will serve as moderator. A short reception will follow in the church’s parish hall.