6th Yohsin Lecture: A Conversation with NOAM CHOMSKY “Bullet dodged or merely delayed: Reflections on the future of democracy, nuclear threat and the looming environmental catastrophe in a post-Trumpian world,” Moderators: Wasif Rizvi, President, Habib University and Dr. Christopher Taylor, Vice President Academic Affairs, Habib University.
Earlier this month, the varsity’s head of marketing and communications, Aqsa Junejo, told SAMAA Digital that the university had shortlisted three topics for Chomsky of which he chose one.
Chomsky has authored over 100 books on topics ranging from linguistics to politics to mass media. He is a Laureate Professor at the University of Arizona and Institute Professor Emeritus at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
As a liberal school, Habib University teaches Chomsky in a number of courses and programmes. Some of these include philosophy, communication and culture, political philosophy, international political economy, and development and social change.
“Apart from elective courses, Chomsky is taught in core courses at the university as well,” Hashim, a bachelor’s student at the varsity said.
“So the excitement is mutual amongst all the students,” he remarked. “We can’t even register the fact that a legend like Chomsky will be speaking at an event here [the university].”
A student of engineering, Hashim loves reading Chomsky’s books and calls himself a fan of his work. “I have my list of questions for him already prepared,” he said.
According to Hashim, his question for the writer will be: What is your current opinion on the idea of universal grammar in the 21st century and its implications on postmodernization?
Another popular topic that students of the varsity expect to bring up is freedom of speech. The students said that in the current landscape, both nationally and internationally, incidents have surfaced where freedom to put forward ideas and opinions has been curbed.
Chomsky has always been an advocate of freedom of speech. His saying, “If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all,” proves it.
Given the coronavirus pandemic, the event will be held virtually. People outside the university will also be allowed to attend it.
Junejo added that the Yohsin Lecture serves as a conduit for leading international scholars from across the world to come to Pakistan and engage with Habib University students as well as the public on wide-ranging topics of global importance. Past speakers include Dr Munir Fasheh, renowned educationist, popular author Reza Azlan and Dr Vali Nasr, former Dean for School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. SAMAA for more
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