After the five professors discussed the passages—ultimately defending the right of the authors to express their views through literature—students asked questions about the controversial invitation.
Garber and Kiely defended to the audience the belief that the university is an appropriate setting in which to share controversial ideas.
Kiely also said the English department never withdrew the invitation from Paulin, but voted only to reaffirm that the invitation was still valid.
Paulin, if he ultimately decides to accept the invitation to speak at Harvard under the aegis of the Morris Gray Lectureship, will be free to use his time in any manner he likes, Kiely added.
Simon E. Chin ’05 called the readings “one effective way of responding toward [the Paulin debate] in showing the power of literature.”
But the most useful part of the discussion, Chin said, was when Kiely explained the course of events involved with the Paulin invitation.
“In explaining that, and clarifying what were often very vague and unclear statements to the press, it was most productive.”
—Katherine M. Dimengo contributed to the reporting of this story.
—Staff writer Alexander J. Blenkinsopp can be reached at blenkins@fas.harvard.edu.