We seek to advance understanding of the international and national norms and institutions that best protect the freedom of expression.
Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger, a noted First Amendment scholar, established Columbia Global Freedom of Expression in 2014, bringing together international experts and activists with the University’s faculty and students to survey, document, and strengthen free expression. Dr. Agnès Callamard, a distinguished human rights advocate and former director of the organization ARTICLE 19, is executive director.
Global Freedom of Expression at Columbia seeks to advance understanding of the international and national norms and institutions that best protect the free flow of information and expression in an inter-connected global community with major common challenges to address. To achieve its mission, Global Freedom of Expression undertakes and commissions research and policy projects, organizes events and conferences, and participates in and contributes to global debates on the protection of freedom of expression and information in the 21st century.
The online Global Database of Freedom of Expression Case Law is supported by a network of international experts. It surveys jurisprudence around the world, critically reviews exemplary cases, engages in comparative analysis, and aims to identify national, regional and global trends. By focusing on the role of the institution of Justice, the project aims to determine the extent to which the Justice Institutions are referencing international norms and standards, and approaching information and expression as global in nature and right.
Massive Open Online Course:
"Freedom of Expression in the Age of Globalization"
https://www.edx.org/course/freedom-expression-age-globalization-columbiax-foe1x
