International journalists, writers in exile and journalism scholars tell their stories
In April 2024, the University of Oregon welcomed international journalists, writers in exile and journalism scholars to a four-day campus symposium to tell their stories of successful reporting despite extreme dangers and threats to their voices and journalistic integrity.
“In an era when journalists worldwide are in the crosshairs of villains who would silence them, the symposium was designed to draw attention not just to dangers and victims but also to the creative array of solutions being developed to keep the flow of credible news reporting flowing to us all,” said Peter Laufer, symposium director and the James Wallace Professor of Journalism in the School of Journalism and Communication.
Laufer said he recently signed a deal with Anthem Press to produce a book based on the symposium, to be published in spring 2025. The book will be an anthology, with each chapter based on presentations at the symposium.
Laufer will write the book’s introduction as well as introductions to each chapter. Forewords will be written by Diego Luna, the Mexican actor, director, and producer who has advocated for freedom of expression, and Washington Post columnist Jason Rezaian, an Iranian-American journalist who was jailed by Iranian authorities in 2014 on charges that included espionage and “propaganda against the establishment.” He was released after 18 months in custody.