The Public Intellectual

April 25, 2011 | The Standard, New York | New York City

With Manuel de Lope, Peter Godwin, Linda Polman, and Hervé Le Tellier; moderated by Jane Ciabattari

Co-sponsored by The Standard, New York

LISTEN | Download the mp3
 

 PHOTO GALLERY | View the photo gallery on Flickr  

For Ralph Waldo Emerson the public intellectual was the preserver of the past’s great ideas. For Edward Said, his or her mission was to advance human freedom through political engagement. Both believed the thinker’s interaction with a larger audience was vital. What has become of the public intellectual’s role in these modern times?

PEN BLOGS

• Antonio Romani: Un po’ di anni fa gli intellettuali volevano, quasi tutti, proporsi un ruolo pubblico, diciamo impegnato, e si chiedevano, o si chiedeva loro, se erano organici, o no. [More]

• Daniela Gioseffi: The opening night of PEN’s 2011 WORLD VOICES FESTIVAL of International Literature began with a call to speak out as writers, since those of us present were not as censored from Freedom of Speech as many are around the globe. [More]