How do bias, hate and extremism form? How we can counter them? And what can we learn from extremist groups? Authors Bob Pearson and Haroon Ullah will visit the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications Nov. 7 to explore these questions and discuss their recent book, “Countering Hate.” The talk, to be held at 7 p.m. in the Miron Special Events Room, 303 Newhouse 1, is free and open to the public.
Pearson, a senior adviser for W2O Group, is a frequent speaker and blogger on digital marketing. He has taught at Syracuse University and the University of Texas at Austin, and guest lectured at the State Department. His other books include, “Pre-Commerce: How Companies and Customers are Transforming Business Together” and “Storytizing: What’s Next After Advertising,” based on key findings from W2O’s work with innovative companies and individuals.
Ullah, chief strategy officer for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, was most recently with the U.S. Department of State, where he worked on digital innovation, public diplomacy and public/private partnerships as part of Secretary Rex Tillerson’s policy planning staff.
He has been an adviser to three secretaries of state, traveled with Ambassador Richard Holbrooke’s Afghanistan/Pakistan team and was director of the Community Engagement Office at the U.S. embassy in Pakistan, the first-ever public diplomacy effort to counter violent extremism office at any American embassy.
Ullah won a Peabody Award for his animated television series, “Burka Avenger.” In addition to “Countering Hate,” his books include “Vying for Allah’s Vote: Understanding Islamic Parties, Political Violence and Extremism in Pakistan,” “The Bargain from the Bazaar: A Family’s Day of Reckoning in Lahore” and “Digital World War: Islamists, Extremists and the Fight for Cyber Supremacy,” which focuses on new uses for technology, transmedia and digital content.
Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) services will be available. For more information about the event, or if you require additional accommodations, contact Betsy Feeley at 315.443.7401 or eafeeley@syr.edu.