A Distance Certificate Course for Students on Freedom of Expression in US Commenced

On February 1, USAID/PROLoG and longtime academic partner, Northwestern University professor, Jason DeSanto launched a distance certificate course on “Freedom of Expression in the US: challenges and lessons”. The four-week course will explore a group of controversies under United States law, including (a) speech that incites illegal action; (b) hate speech and threats; (c) defamation; and (d) the use of public spaces for protests. In examining these First Amendment issues, the course will also investigate the intersection between law and communication in a democratic society, including the proper balance between freedom and safety and competing community values that might outweigh free expression.

Twenty students from Tbilisi and regional universities were selected out of 110 applicants to participate in the course. Adam Schmidt, Director of USAID Democracy and Governance Office opened the meeting with introductory words and stressed the importance of sharing experience and discussing similarities and differences in freedom of expression practices.