The Internet and Hate Speech in a Post-Truth Society

Presented in partnership with the University of Houston

Schedule

Thursday, May 25, 2023
6:30 p.m. Program
8 p.m. Reception

As the power of speech reverberates with increasing speed over the internet, ever-expanding social media networks — which have undoubtedly brought together people from across the world in unprecedented ways — have also served as a platform for alarming rises in digital hate speech.

How does the rise of hate speech on the Internet translate into hateful actions and crimes, including a spike in violence against Asians and Asian Americans? Join us as speakers examine the rise of digital hate speech, with an emphasis on post-truth, or the idea that facts are secondary to emotions and personal beliefs when shaping and sharing opinions and worldviews.

Numa Dhamani, Principal Machine Learning Engineer at KUNGFU.A; Professor Moshe Vardi, a distinguished mathematician at Rice University; and Professor Chelsea Horne, a digital rhetoric and communications researcher at American University join moderator Dr. Emran El-Badawi, program director and associate professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Houston, for a panel discussion on the rise of internet hate speech and the effects of post-truth thought on society.

About the Speakers

Numa Dhamani is an engineer and researcher with domain expertise in information warfare, security/privacy, and trust and safety. She has advised startups and nonprofits, served as the Principal Investigator on various DARPA programs, and contributed to multiple international peer-reviewed journals. Currently, Numa is a Principal Machine Learning Engineer at KUNGFU.AI. She has previously worked on mitigating abuses in the online ecosystem at Twitter, on counter disinformation efforts at the Global Disinformation Index, and on detecting online extremism and influence operations at Yonder.

Chelsea L. Horne is a Sr Professorial Lecturer at American University. Her areas of research encompass writing, digital rhetoric, communication, information literacy, privacy, big data, and Internet governance. Recent work has appeared in Telecommunications Policy, Routledge Studies in Shakespeare, and in Writing Spaces. As a teacher, Horne has taught workshops and master classes in four continents. She is a faculty fellow at the Internet Governance Lab.

Moshe Y. Vardi is University Professor, Karen Ostrum George Distinguished Service Professor in Computational Engineering at Rice University, where he is leading an Initiative on Technology, Culture, and Society. His interests focus on automated reasoning, a branch of Artificial Intelligence with broad applications to computer science, including machine learning, database theory, computational-complexity theory, knowledge in multi-agent systems, computer-aided verification, and teaching logic across the curriculum. He is also a Faculty Scholar at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University.

About the Moderator

Dr. Emran El-Badawi is program director and associate professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Houston. He founded the Arab Studies program at UH and he has designed, implemented and assessed degree programs in the Humanities and Sciences. These include degrees in Arab-Middle East Studies, Religious Studies and interdisciplinary studies in Energy, Development and Sustainability, with a focus on US-Middle East relations. El-Badawi has a bachelors degree in Computer Science from Rutgers University, and he received his Ph.D. with honors in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Chicago.

Business and Policy programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Bank of America, Muffet Blake, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and United Airlines. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, Nancy Pollok Guinee, and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as The Brown Foundation, Inc. and Houston Endowment. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Asia Society Texas Center, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing the best in public programming.

Business & Policy Presenting Sponsors

Program Partner

About APAH Month at Asia Society Texas

Beginning in 2021, Asia Society Texas has celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with the Houston community and beyond through a curated calendar for 31 ways to celebrate over the 31 days of May. Spotlighting the traditions, talents, and contributions of Asians and Asian Americans, the calendar highlights the month's key Asia Society programming, providing a platform to showcase local artists, performers, educators, and leaders who contribute to the vibrant, multicultural tapestry of Houston while also featuring staff recommendations for our favorite music, books, movies, and more by Asian and Asian American creatives.

At Asia Society Texas, APAH Month is an opportunity to celebrate and honor Asians and Asian Americans and to uplift their stories to a broader audience as part of our goal to inspire our larger community to better understand one another through culture, conversation, and connection. For information about sponsoring APAH Month and other projects like this one, please contact Saleena Jafry at SJafry@asiasociety.org or 713.496.9939.

See the 2023 Calendar

Sponsors of APAH Month at Asia Society Texas

Asian American Bar Association of Houston
Comcast
The Heimbinder Family Foundation

Past APAH Month Calendars

2022: Highlights | Details
2021: Details

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.