Who Watches the Watchmen? A Discussion About Race and Policing Through the Lens of Popular Entertainment

Date: 

Thursday, June 25, 2020, 12:00pm to 1:15pm

Location: 

Streamed via YouTube Live

Join us for an exciting event featuring the Center's Director of Pedagogical Innovation, Chris Robichaud, and outgoing Fellow-in-Residence Deva Woodly!

When HBO series Watchmen premiered in October 2019, the show—a dramatically different take on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’s original comic book/graphic novel—was noted for its direct confrontation of racism in America. Systemic racism, police brutality, collective trauma, and vigilante justice are all central themes to the TV remix. In light of ongoing deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police, nationwide protests, and calls for reforms, the show is now getting a second look with many calling it eerily prescient. 

Join us in conversation about how Watchmen and other popular entertainment can highlight and help us understand critical issues around race and policing. The discussion will center on Watchmen, but we encourage you to join us even if you haven't seen the show. 

Panelists include:

  • Chris Lebron, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Johns Hopkins University
  • Leah Wright Rigueur, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School, Brandeis University
  • Deva Woodly, Associate Professor of Politics, The New School 
  • Christopher Robichaud (Moderator), Senior Lecturer in Ethics and Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School

This event is sponsored by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, the Carr Center for Human Rights, the Center for Public Leadership, the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research, and the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics. 

Virtual Event Details

This event will be livestreamed on YouTube Live. Attendees registered for this event will receive a reminder for the livestream fifteen minutes before the event along with a link to the YouTube page where you can participate in the live chat and ask questions during the event.

For more information, visit the Ash Center event page.