The New Censorship: A Free Literary Event produced by PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature

Thursday, May 3, 2012, 6pm to 7:30pm  at Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery Street, NY NY

Moderated by the co-editor of Book Forum Albert Mobilio, this free, lively panel discussion features dynamic writers from around the globe as part of the 2012 PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature.  The topic is The New Censorship/Corporate Censorship. The panelists are Iranian novelist Mahmoud Dowlatabadi, Hispanic-American poet Giannina Braschi, Spanish scriptwriter Jaume Cabré, Norwegian novelist Karl O. Knausgaard, and Adam Mansbach. These dynamic voices will debate whether the aim of anti-piracy legislation is tantamount to censorship. As corporations move to the forefront in the quest for control over information and its flow, the battle over censorship has changed, and its newest champions are found not in the statehouse, but in the boardroom. After a public outcry against industry-backed copyright and anti-piracy bills in both the House and Senate, PEN invites these panelists to discuss their perspective as published poets, novelists, and scriptwriters.

The event is sponsored by Bookforum, Institut Ramon Llull, and Royal Norwegian Consulate General. http://www.pen.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/6453/prmID/2206