“Freedom of Expression” course was launched as an experiment across Bard’s Network partner institutions, including EHU, in AY 2017/18. The course explored the historical, constitutional, legal, social and political implications of freedom of expression. The main feature of the course was working as a network in sync with partner institutions. Network assignments included two essays on freedom of expression, keynote lecture delivered by Prof. David Goldberger, which was streamed via YouTube with the option to post questions live, as well as the visual joint projects, created by EHU students in pairings with students from American University of Central Asia (AUCA) (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan). Last week the faculty met in Budapest to discuss how it was last year and what are the ways to improve the course for the upcoming semester.
This year the Bard’s network for “Freedom of Expression” course will be extended, including: Al-Quds Bard College of Arts and Sciences, AUCA, Bard College, Bard College Berlin, EHU and the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences at St. Petersburg State University (“Smolny” College). During two-days’ session of intense work instructors presented the results of last spring semester, reviewed course readings and agreed upon network assignments for the new class. EHU faculty focused on the interdisciplinary approach to freedom of expression in a wider social and cultural contexts. Assoc. Prof. Minina suggested to consider dystopia “1984” by George Orwell as an analytical case of political literature reflecting the problems of freedom of expression in post-war societies. Assistant Lecturer Shtalenkova reported on the article “The Open Society and Its Enemies: An attack against CEU, academic freedom, and the rule of law” by Petra Bard and its impact on EHU students’ projects last year.
This year joint assignments will include working on the representation of freedom of expression with a review by students across the network, keynote lecture by Sana Mustafa followed by the online discussion, as well as academic note-booking in two rounds by students from two partner institutions (EHU paired with “Smolny” College).
The instructor meeting held at CEU became a perspective opportunity for EHU academic community to get engaged in international network partnership strengthening the inter-institutional ties and revealing the opportunities to study freedom of expression across the globe. “Freedom of Expression” network course will start at EHU in spring term AY 2018/19. The Call for the course will be announced soon.