Invitation Plenary 14th of May: ‘Fake News as a Threat to Democracy’

Hey, you! Have you heard of the latest news about the first successful revival of the woolly mammoth? If not, then you have successfully avoided another round of fake news. Whether it is alien abduction, flat earth theories, gossip, or the latest political developments, fake news is an unavoidable part of a rapid flow of information. To address this phenomenon, we are cordially inviting you to the next plenary meeting on the topic of ‘Fake News as a Threat to Democracy’ on the 14th of May (17:15-19:15) at Janskerkhof 3, 0.13. Attendance is mandatory for all HHP students.

Why is this such a crucial topic? Our speakers Bruce Mutsvairo and Daniel Cohnitz will enlighten you by sharing their expertise in the field and perspective on the subject. Bruce Mutsvairo, a professor and chair of Media, Politics and the Global South, specializes in disinformation and democracy and the developments of journalism and media in authoritarian and post-conflict states. Daniel Cohnitz, the chair of the Philosophy and Religious Studies department, examines how the philosophy of mind, logic and language interconnect.

The two talks will be followed by an interactive activity to discuss our findings. Afterwards, you will be able to grab a drink and converse with your fellow HHP members on your take on fake news over free pizza(!) in the basement of JK 3. We hope to see you there! For any questions/concerns, please contact Dorien van Gerven (d.a.vangerven@students.uu.nl) or the plenary email (plenairhhp@eureka.nl).

Kind regards,

The Humanities Honours plenary meeting committee:

Florent Beijnes, Katrīna Bžalava, Marie Denzler, Dorien van Gerven, Anton Janicki, Ivelina Kitina, Coco Veenhuizen