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Aspen Institute
Aspen, CO
Jul 7th 2006
[A video version of this presentation with transcripts is available at Fora.tv]
Did you know that at the conclusion of World War II, there were only 20 democracies in the world? Have you ever stopped to consider how many there are today? According to the Freedom House, there are almost exactly 120. This is important because democratic societies are generally on the side of human rights. However, regardless of the many different governments around the world, democratic or not, they are all influenced, one way or another, by the information age.
In this panel from the Aspen Ideas Festival, moderator R. James Woolsey, past director of the Central Intelligence Agency, leads a fascinating discussion on "Human Rights in the Information Age" with discussants Samantha Power and Michael Posner. During the discussion, the three participants offer their thoughts and views on human rights, and consider the role information technology plays on human rights.
As our world continues to face the challenges of global terrorism, the defense of human rights is a critical issue in combating the root causes of religious and political extremism. Woolsey, Power, and Posner all provide compelling speeches that are insightful and thought provoking. After listening to this podcast, don't be surprised if you feel compelled to understand more about this topic and possibly wonder how you can help defend human rights.
R. James Woolsey is vice president of the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton and an officer in its global resilience practice. Previously, Woolsey served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency and delegate-at-large to the US-Soviet Strategic Arms Reduction Talks and Nuclear and Space Arms Talks. He has also been a partner in the law firm of Shea & Gardner in Washington, DC.Woolsey is currently co-chairman (with former Secretary of State George Shultz) of the Committee on the Present Danger, as well as chairman of the advisory boards of the Clean Fuels Foundation and the New Uses Council and a trustee of the Center for Strategic & International Studies and the Center for Strategic & Budgetary Assessments. He also serves on the National Commission on Energy Policy.
Samantha Power is a journalist, writer, and professor. She is currently affiliated with the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.Power was raised in Ireland before emigrating to the United States in 1979. She is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School. From 1993 to 1996, she covered the Yugoslav wars for U.S. News & World Report, The Boston Globe, The Economist, and The New Republic.She is a scholar of foreign policy especially as it relates to human rights, genocide, and AIDS. Her book A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide, won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 2003. In 2004, Power was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 top scientists and thinkers of that year.
Michael Posner, President of Human Rights First, has been at the forefront of the international human rights movement for nearly 30 years. As its Executive Director he helped the organization earn a reputation for leadership in the areas of refugee protection, advancing a rights-based approach to national security, challenging crimes against humanity, and combating discrimination. He is a frequent public commentator on these and other issues, and his opinion essays have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and many other papers. Michael has also testified dozens of times before the U.S. Congress. In January 2006, Michael stepped down as Executive Director to become the President of Human Rights First. In this new position, he will focus more on public outreach, writing, and public advocacy, to advance the organization’s core mission.
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