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Conservatives’ Panic Over Teachers Misses How Little Freedom They Have
In preventing teachers from guiding students in debate and critical inquiry and inhibiting them from educating about social justice, we have weakened the core elements of American democracy. More
An Interview with PEN/Robert J. Dau Prize Winner: Patch Kirschenbaum
It can sometimes be remarkably difficult as a fiction writer to escape the feeling that you are writing into the abyss. More
PEN America Recognizes the Courage and Activism of Nobel Peace Prize Winners in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus
“Living under a government determined to break the will of even its most stalwart critics, Bialiatski has fought for human rights unflinchingly for decades, sacrificing his freedom, safety, and… More
PEN International and Artists at Risk Connection Condemn Detention of Artists and Writers in Cuba After Peaceful Protests
“There is no possible justification for the Cuban government to arbitrarily detain citizens including writers and artists for taking to the streets to peacefully demand their rights. The global… More
PEN America: No Excuse for Protesters to Disrupt a Class Over Professor’s Views or Affiliations
Jeremy C. Young, senior manager of free expression and education at PEN America, made the following comment: “There is absolutely no excuse for a protest to disrupt classroom instruction so… More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Donna Barba Higuera
I know that if the book banning continues on its current path, my books will soon follow. More
Artists at Risk Connection Condemns “Cruel” Detention of Iranian Musician for Sharing a Poem in Support of the Mahsa Amini Protests
Julie Trébault, ARC director, said: “Today, our hearts are with Mona Borzouei, who has been cruelly detained for simply sharing a poem with her fellow Iranians. We call for… More
An Interview with PEN/Robert J. Dau Prize Winner Emma Shannon
There’s no real reason for things to happen, they just happen in whatever spontaneous order they happen in. What makes these things important is the meaning we assign to… More
Political Litmus Test for Campus Speakers is Inimical to the Mission of Higher Education
“Berkeley Law School appears to have handled this controversy effectively,” Young continued, “making clear the provision violated the tenets of free speech, while also acknowledging that the student group… More
PEN America Condemns Death Threats and Intimidation Against Oregon Shakespeare Festival Director
As we know from PEN America’s work to support those facing online abuse, however, women of color routinely face disproportionate and uniquely virulent attacks. In our increasingly polarized society,… More