Janus Forum Lecture Series

The Janus Lecture Series brings together two or more speakers with differing opinions on relevant social and political topics. Events are held five to six times per year and offer students a chance to hear diverging positions on critical issues from some of the most distinguished speakers in the country. The speakers each have 25min, following which audience members are invited to participate in a one-hour intensive and highly critical Q&A session.

Janus Lecture Events seek to address difficult and pressing political issues with a commitment to openness, honesty, and a genuine dedication to the pursuit of truth. To this end, Janus's Steering Committee, a group comprised of representatives from each of Brown’s major political, religious, or social groups, determines the topics that each event addresses.

Next Event

Hip Hop: Should Artists be Accountable for their Words?
Michael Eric Dyson and Boyce Watkins
Thursday, February 23, 2012 - 4:00pm

An international phenomenon, hip hop music has arguably transformed the artistic and cultural landscape of our generation. While it is widely accepted as influential and pervasive, hip hop remains the subject of heated debate as well as criticism for its often controversial content and language...

Past Events

What if the US Legalized all Drugs?
Glenn Greenwald and John P. Walters
Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 4:00pm

 

In July 2001, Portugal decriminalized all drugs, adopting a policy that has since become increasingly popular. Some studies seem to indicate no significant increase in usage since decriminalization; and that deaths, sexually transmitted diseases, and other drug-related...

We, the Insured: Is the Healthcare Mandate Constitutional?
Randy Barnett (Georgetown) and Charles Fried (Harvard Law)
Friday, September 16, 2011 - 4:00pm

The 2010 healthcare law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, includes an individual healthcare mandate requiring Americans to obtain health insurance by 2014 or pay a fine. Opponents of healthcare argue this is beyond Congress's power. This Janus Lecture will address the question: Is...

ROTC: A Janus Forum Town Hall
Professors Bill Keach and Luther Spoehr; and Brown students Amit Jain '12 and Joy Joung '11
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 - 8:00pm

A panel of Brown students and professors lead the discussion of the pros and cons of re-instating ROTC at Brown.

For Better or For Worse? The Impact of Legalizing Gay Marriage
Douglas Allen, M.V. Lee Badgett, Maggie Gallagher, and Andrew Koppelman
Thursday, February 17, 2011 - 4:00pm

There has been much debate over the right of same-sex couples to marry and be recognized as couples legally. What are the implications of gay marriage on our society?

Photos by Lauren Brennan

 

Nine Years Later: Nation Building in Afghanistan
Ambassador James Dobbins and Professor Stephen Walt
Thursday, November 18, 2010 - 4:00pm

The United States has been engaged in nation-building abroad for most of its recent history, but our actions in Afghanistan have caused the issue to garner international attention. With the War in Afghanistan entering its ninth year , many questions have arisen about the United States' presence...

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