A talk by Anita Varma ’08 (Media Studies), Assistant Professor of Journalism and Media, University of Texas, Austin based on her 2026 Columbia University Press book Solidarity in Journalism, about journalism and social justice. The talk will explore how conventional journalistic norms discourage reporters from taking sides; journalists are supposed to remain neutral, impartial, and objective. Yet there is also a long tradition in journalism, dating back to the 1800s, that pursues truth by practicing solidarity for social justice. Solidarity in Journalism offers a bold defense of reporting for social justice, showing what journalistic solidarity looks like in principle and in practice.

This event is sponsored by the Media Studies Program and the Sociology Department and is free and open to the public.