Cardiff Law School was delighted to welcome Professor Noam Chomsky, world-renowned linguist, scholar and political analyst, on Friday 11th March.
An unapologetic critic of American foreign policy and the neoliberal turn of global capitalism, Professor Chomsky is widely regarded as one of the most influential intellectuals of our time. In 1992 he was said to be the most frequently cited person alive.
2011 marks his 50th anniversary as Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his long-standing high-profile career has not been without controversy.
During his visit, Professor Chomsky joined Professor Jonathan Osmond, Pro Vice-Chancellor at Cardiff University and staff from the Schools of Law, English, Communication and Philosophy and European Studies for lunch.
Jirí Pribán, Professor at Cardiff Law School, chaired a stimulating discussion of diverse topical issues, ranging from the no-fly zone over Libya, to what makes a political theory a theory, to Rogue States, to the clash of civilisations. Those present also had the opportunity to hear Professor Chomsky’s views on Social Media.
This was Professor Chomsky’s second visit to Wales, his main purpose being to give a lecture at St David’s Hall on ‘The Current Crisis in the Middle East’. During his first visit to Wales in 1993, he gave a lecture at Cardiff Law School which, unsurprisingly, filled the Schools’ two largest lecture theatres.
Professor Nigel Lowe, Head of Cardiff Law School, said “It was a great privilege to welcome such a renowned figure to the School. Professor Chomsky was very generous in taking questions from staff, many of whom were present at his 1993 lecture, and provided a fascinating insight into many key political, linguistic and philosophical issues.”
