Since 9/11, the impulse to protect “national security” has led democratic governments to become increasingly secretive. With many of their most consequential decisions—about war, interrogation, detention, and surveillance—being made behind closed doors, democratic governments are “going dark.”  Should we accept official secrecy as a necessary response to new security threats—or has official secrecy itself become a threat?  With new wars abroad, and new surveillance programs at home, the question is more pressing than ever.

At the 11th Annual Eva Holtby Lecture on Contemporary Culture, constitutional lawyer and civil liberties advocate Jameel Jaffer will explore the phenomenon of official secrecy and the legal, political, and social repercussions of allowing democratic governments to withhold information about national security policy from the public. Born in Kingston, Ontario, Jaffer joined the staff of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in 2002 and has since become one of the staunchest voices against the secretive national security policies of the United States government.  He was recently appointed as Executive Director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, which is dedicated to preserving and expanding the freedoms of speech, association, and the press in the digital age.Discover what the shift towards official secrecy means for us as a society and as individuals, and what’s at stake.

Book tickets online or for assistance call 416.586.5797 or email programs@rom.on.ca

Jaffer's new book, The Drone Memos Targeted Killing, Secrecy, and the Law, will be published by The New Press and will be availabe for sales & signing during the post-talk reception.

The Eva Holtby Lecture is generously supported by the Holtby and Schury Families.