Heard on Campus

“The Law and Our Changing Society” was the theme of the 2010–11 President’s Speaker Series. From terrorism to human rights to freedom of speech, here are a few of the words by this year’s speakers that proved timely, thoughtful, and prescient.

The chilling effect

An open Internet—one that continues to fulfill the democratic function of giving voice to individuals, especially those who speak in dissent—demands that each of us make the choice to support this and to resist government censorship and other acts to chill speech, even when that decision is hard. And sometimes it is.

David Drummond ’85, chief legal officer of Google, on April 13.

Listen to David Drummond’s talk on iTunes U

Global due process

Dame Rosalyn Higgins

Human rights law makes quite clear that torture or beatings or attempts to control freedom of expression are all violations of international law—but that’s not the same as saying, Can the international courts now get a grip on all of this? … Cases have to come before those courts.

Dame Rosalyn Higgins, former head of the International Court of Justice, on Feb. 24.

Listen to Dame Rosalyn Higgins’ Talk and Q&A session on iTunes U

 

No safe place for al-Qaeda

Leon Panetta

We and our partners will go after al-Qaeda wherever they operate overseas and wherever they try to run. Our counterterrorism efforts have put their senior leaders under intense pressure, especially over the past two years, and especially in Pakistan’s tribal areas. The truth is that al-Qaeda can no longer regard that region as safe.

Leon Panetta ’60, J.D. ’63, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, on Oct. 8, 2010. This Spring, Panetta was nominated to become the next secretary of defense.

Listen to Leon Panetta’s Talk and Q&A session

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Spin Masters

In searching for patterns that would differentiate one species of webspinners from the next, Professor Janice Edgerly-Rooks wondered: What if you put their steps to music? Would you be able to hear the differences?

A Strong Red

Santa Clara’s signature red has been around since the late 1800s. Before it was made official, though, we were almost the blue Broncos.

Unspooling Stories

Art historian Andrea Pappas explores the sneaky feminism woven into colonial embroideries.

The Pope, AI, and Us

Santa Clara’s Markkula Center joins the Vatican in contemplating—what else?—the ethics of AI and other disruptive tech.