Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Nigel Biggar and Richard Sanders chaired by Gary Francione

Journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, moral philosopher and theologian Professor Nigel Biggar, and award-winning film and documentary-maker Richard Sanders debate one of the most divisive issues of our time: the status of free speech inside and outside of our universities.

Universities are increasingly criticised for their stance on free speech, social justice, and, in particular, ‘wokeness’. What is woke? Is it intolerance and a threat to free expression, or is it a necessary step in the journey toward social justice?  Who make up the ‘woke mob’, and what motivates them? To what extent are voices, inside and outside of universities, expressing views about the Middle East, being suppressed? How do we navigate these issues without compromising core values of free expression and academic inquiry?

Alibhai-Brown is a journalist and author who has written extensively on issues of diversity and social justice. Her books include In Defence of Political Correctness, Refusing the Veil and Exotic England: The Making of a Curious Nation.

Biggar is a British Anglican priest and theologian and formerly professor of moral and pastoral theology at the University of Oxford. He also chairs the board of trustees of the Free Speech Union. He has authored multiple books, his most recent being Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning.

Sanders is an award-winning film director specialising in history and news and current affairs. He has made more than 50 films, primarily for Channel 4. Most recently he has worked primarily for Al Jazeera and his feature documentary GAZA has been shortlisted for an RTS award. He is also the author of two history books.

Discussions are chaired by Professor Gary Francione, a world-leading authority on animal rights and an advocate of the importance of feminism. He is a professor of law and professor of philosophy and was the first academic to teach animal rights theory in an American law school. His books include Why Veganism Matters.