Harvard Keeps Kristof Lecture, Framing it as Free-Speech Commitment
Harvard Kennedy School declined to revoke Nicholas Kristof’s endowed Wiener Lecture invitation despite pressure from the Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance, arguing that canceling would undermine free-speech principles. The Alliance demanded withdrawal, publication of Wiener-honors criteria, and a pre-lecture meeting, but the dean said assigning a lecture does not equal endorsement and stressed hosting diverse, controversial viewpoints. The dispute centers on Kristof’s May column about Palestinian detainee abuses; Times editors defended the reporting, while the Alliance pointed to Kristof’s past criticisms. HKS notes a history of similar decisions and did not fulfill the three requests, though the group said it would accept Kristof in another format. The lecture was rescheduled by one day, and no criteria were published or meeting offered.} {