Critical Engagements: Fake News
CMU series examines the challenging issue of what we know and how we know it
How do we know what we know? That’s the question posed by this year’s Critical Engagements series at Central Michigan University.
The accusation of “fake news” is being used with increasing frequency, but the meaning of the phrase remains unclear: Does it refer to deliberate misinformation, propaganda or is it simply news that the listener finds objectionable?
The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences will kick off the 2019-2020 Critical Engagements theme with two panel discussions that explore concepts such as truth and fact, news and propaganda, experts, and conspiracy theory.
Faculty and community members look into the origins of and controversies surrounding vaccinations and autism at the “Vaccination: When ‘Fake News’ Has Lasting Consequences” event 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, in Anspach Hall 162.
The campus and community also are invited to participate in a discussion of fake news, facts and truth at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, in Anspach Hall161. Panelists include CMU library staff and faculty from sociology, psychology, earth and atmospheric sciences, journalism, history and philosophy.
Both events are hosted by the Critical Engagements initiative, which brings together students and faculty from across campus to consider pressing issues and challenging topics.