Twenty Years after 9/11: Addressing an Enduring Legacy of Harm | Columbia Law School

Twenty Years after 9/11: Addressing an Enduring Legacy of Harm

Event Series

Twenty years after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the United States continues to operate within a military, legal, and policy framework stemming from that day. Over two decades, the U.S. responded through a range of abusive practices, from the use of torture and secret detention, to extraordinary rendition, to a secretive and unaccountable program of lethal strikes, to indefinite detention at Guantanamo Bay, to domestic surveillance. Post-9/11 policies and practices continue to harm primarily Brown, Black, and Muslim communities both domestically, and abroad.

This series explores the legacy of 9/11 and what policies and reforms are needed to protect rights going forward.

EVENTS

Post 9/11 Counterterrorism Policy: Secrecy and the Importance of Whistleblower Disclosures (Watch the recording)
Wednesday, September 29 | 12:10- 1:10 pm EST

This event features Jeremy Scahill, a founding editor of the Intercept and award-winning investigative journalist, and Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Speakers will address how key information provided by whistleblowers informed public understanding and oversight of counterterrorism programs, as well as the risks whistleblowers face. Priyanka Motaparthy, of Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Institute, will moderate.

Civilian Impacts in the Global War on Terror: U.S. Drone Strikes and Counterterrorism Operations in Somalia (Watch the recording)

Thursday, October 7 | 12:10 - 1:10 pm EST

Ten years after the first U.S. drone strike in Somalia, air strikes and counterterrorism operations aimed at al-Shabab continue, in some cases killing or injuring civilians. Panelists Abdullahi Hassan, LLM '22 (Somalia Expert), Brian Finucane (International Crisis Group), Amanda Sperber (Foreign Correspondent), and Abdifatah Hassan Ali (Digital Shelter) will discuss the civilian impacts of these strikes, as well as the legal basis for continued U.S. operations in the country.

Understanding the Costs of Post-9/11 Wars
Date and Time TBD

After the U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Protecting Rights and Seeking Accountability and Legacies of Ending America's "Forever War"​ 
Date and Time TBD

Gender and National Security: A Post 9/11 LandscapeThe Role of Gender in National Security Since 9/11
Date and Time TBD

Addressing a Legacy of Abuse at Guantanamo Bay: Ending Twenty Years of Injustice
Date and Time TBD

EVENT SERIES CO-SPONSORS 

• Columbia Society of International Law
• Columbia University Institute for the Study of Human Rights
• RightsLink

Please note that all sessions will be recorded and published, contingent on consent from presenters in each. Attendees should be mindful of this in case their personal information, including possible name, picture, or video appears at any time during any of the recordings.

Columbia University makes every effort to accommodate individuals with disabilities. Please notify us at least 10 days in advance if you require closed captioning, sign-language interpretation or any other disability accommodations. Alternatively, Disability Services can be reached at 212.854.2388 and [email protected].