The twenty-second Munk Debate pits acclaimed journalist, professor, and ordained minister Michael Eric Dyson and New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg against renowned actor and writer Stephen Fry and University of Toronto professor and author Jordan Peterson to debate the implications of political correctness and freedom of speech.

Is political correctness an enemy of free speech, open debate, and the free exchange of ideas? Or, by confronting head-on the dominant power relationships and social norms that exclude marginalized groups are we creating a more equitable and just society? For some the argument is clear. Political correctness is stifling the free and open debate that fuels our democracy. It is also needlessly dividing one group from another and promoting social conflict. Others insist that creating public spaces and norms that give voice to previously marginalized groups broadens the scope of free speech. The drive towards inclusion over exclusion is essential to creating healthy, diverse societies in an era of rapid social change.

MICHAEL ERIC DYSON is an author, professor, and broadcaster. He grew up in Detroit, becoming an ordained minister at nineteen and working in factories to support his family. Dyson started college at twenty-one and went on to earn a Ph.D. in religious studies from Princeton University. Currently, Dyson is a professor of sociology at Georgetown University, host of “The Michael Eric Dyson Show” on NPR, contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, and contributing editor for the New Republic and ESPN’s website The Undefeated.

Michael Eric Dyson's profile page

MICHELLE GOLDBERG was born in Buffalo, New York, and holds a Master of Science degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a columnist for the New York Times, a journalist, and bestselling author who writes about identity, culture, and politics.

Michelle Goldberg's profile page

STEPHEN FRY is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, and film director. He was born in London and studied English literature at the University of Cambridge. Fry has also written and presented several documentary series, including the Emmy Award-winning “Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive” and “Stephen Fry: Out There,” a two-part documentary about the lives of lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender people around the world. Fry has been married to comedian Elliott Spencer since 2015 and has advocated for the rights of the LGBTQ community for thirty years.

Stephen Fry's profile page

Jordan B. Peterson. Este polemista y brillante profesor de Psicología de la Universidad de Toronto se ha erigido en la nueva sensación de los medios con sus discursos, clases, ensayos y entrevistas. Su mezcla de erudición, carisma y afán provocador han hecho que su último libro, 12 reglas para vivir, se haya convertido en un fenómeno global. «Lo llaman “el intelectual más odiado por la izquierda”, pero es mucho más que eso. Este psicólogo clínico canadiense se ha convertido en una figura de culto entre los millennials», El Mundo.

Jordan Peterson's profile page

Rudyard Griffiths is the co-organizer and moderator of The Munk Debates. He is also the co-founder of the Dominion Institute and the co-director of the Grano Speakers Series. His writing has appeared in a variety of publications, including a bi-monthly column for the National Post. He is the author of Who We Are: A Citizen's Manifesto. He serves on the boards of the Stratford Festival, the Empire Club, and the Canadian Institute for Citizenship. In 2006, he was recognized by the Globe and Mail as one of Canada's "Top 40 under 40." He lives in Toronto.

Rudyard Griffiths' profile page