Journalism in a Facts-Optional World
TRAVERSE CITY — Dexter Filkins, one of the premier combat correspondents of his generation and the author of The Forever War, a definitive account of America’s conflicts and a searing exploration of its human costs, will address the International Affairs Forum at 6 p.m. June 15 in Milliken Auditorium.
A writer for The New Yorker since 2011, Filkins won a Pulitzer Prize in 2009 for his reporting in Pakistan and Afghanistan for The New York Times. He will speak on "Journalism in a Facts-Optional World."
The Forever War was written in 2007 after a decade reporting from the front lines in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now, a decade later, the U.S. remains mired in “forever war,” even as official statements simultaneously assure that the U.S. is on track, making progress and meeting our goals. Meanwhile, the rise of new forms of media have helped create audiences who reject truth-telling from the front lines and hunger for versions of events that affirm their own points of view. For many in this politically charged world, facts have become optional.
Join Dexter and IAF board member Bob Giles, a former editor of the Detroit News, for a wide-ranging discussion that will explore challenges to journalism at home and abroad and consider the effectiveness of U.S. policy toward the Middle East and Afghanistan.
The IAF is affiliated with NMC and the World Affairs Council of America. All lectures are held in the Dennos Museum Center's Milliken Auditorium on the NMC campus at 6 p.m., with a reception prior to the lecture from 5:15 to 6 p.m. Admission is free to all students and educators, and $10 for others. Subscriber tickets for the entire season are available; visit www.tciaf.com or call (231) 995-1700 for more information.
IAF lectures are rebroadcast on UpNorth TV public access cable television three times a week, and available online for streaming on demand. Board members also produce “Beyond the Headlines,” a roundtable-style interview program that focuses on current foreign affairs issues and airs on UpNorth TV.
Release Date: June 5, 2017
For More Information:
Karen Segal
International Affairs Forum co-chair
(231) 715-6064
karenpsegal@gmail.com