The Future of Humanity and Civic Engagement

Today we are challenged to explore and navigate the impacts of a rapidly changing world on the human condition and student experience. San José State University is committed to leading this conversation through the Future of Humanity and Civic Engagement initiative.

The rapid convergence of technology, politics, and geopolitics brings both excitement and uncertainty, and provides an opportunity for intentional deliberation and sense-making for our community. To meet this moment, we reaffirm our commitment to teaching and learning about civic engagement, ensuring our campus remains a space for open dialogue and free speech while valuing diverse opinions.  

The Future of Humanity and Civic Engagement framework is an actionable initiative to shape collective learning as students confront new experiences, tensions, and differing perspectives. Through a series of events, we aim to blend our academic programs and the student experience with a compassionate, belonging-centered approach to equip our students and leaders for the challenges facing their lives, our democracy and our humanity.

Signature Events

• September 19–20, 2024: "Free Speech at a Crossroads: A Silicon Valley Dialogue"

  • SJSU will host Georgetown University’s Free Speech Project for "Free Speech at a Crossroads: A Silicon Valley Dialogue." This convening will feature expert opinion panels and discussions on modern and pressing challenges at the intersection of the First Amendment and technology. The two-day event will be held at the Student Union Theater and is made possible by Georgetown University, San José State, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and The John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships at Stanford University.

    Founded in 2017, the Free Speech Project at Georgetown has served as an independent, nonpartisan initiative working to assess the condition of free speech in the United States today — in education, civil society and government. 

    Event Schedule

    The symposium schedule was designed to align with SJSU class schedules to allow for student participation. Faculty are able to register their classes if the topic has relevance to their course.

    September 19

    • 9–10:15 a.m. — The Condition of Free Speech in America: A View from Silicon Valley
    • 10:30–11:15 a.m. — Artificial Intelligence & Free Expression
    • 3:00–4:15 p.m. — Will Section 230 Live Forever, or is Government Regulation of Social Media inevitable?

    September 20

    • 9:30–10:45 a.m. — Parental Rights, Book Banning, and Education
    • 11 a.m.—12:15 pm — Is Privacy Obsolete in the Digital Age?
    • 12:30–1:45 p.m. — Preserving the Right to Protest while Confronting Hate Speech

• November 7–8, 2024: PIT-UN Summit 2024

  • The Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) reimagines its annual convening and launches, PIT-UN Summit 2024, a gathering of trailblazers, visionaries, and future-facing thinkers shaping the next-generation technology globally. The two-day summit from Nov. 7-8 hosted on campus, in thought partnership with SJSU, advances the field of public interest technology through focused conversations, pivotal plenaries, creative spaces, closed-door networking, and interactive sessions.