Michael Ratner, "War on Democracy: Civil and Human Rights Post-9/11" and Gara LaMarche, "The Importance of Philanthropic Advocacy in the Post-911 Era"

Michael Ratner is a human rights lawyer and the president of the Center for Constitutional Rights, a human rights organization that represents victims of torture, rendition and domestic spying. He was co-counsel in representing Guantanamo Bay detainees in the United States Supreme Court in 2004. He is the author of many books and articles, including Against War with Iraq and Guantanamo: What the World Should Know, and a textbook on international human rights. Ratner is also the co-host of the radio program Law and Disorder and professor of law at the Columbia University Law School.

Gara LaMarche is President and CEO of the Atlantic Philanthropies. Before joining the Atlantic Philanthropies in April, 2007, Gara LaMarche was vice president and director of U.S. Programs for the Open Society Institute. Prior to joining OSI in 1996, LaMarche served as associate director of Human Rights Watch and was director of its Free Expression Project (1990-1996) and the Freedom-To-Write Program of the PEN American Center (1988-1990). From 1976 to 1988, he served in a variety of positions with the American Civil Liberties Union, including associate director of its New York branch (1979-1984) and executive director of the Texas Civil Liberties Union (1984-1988). In 1988-1989, he was a Charles H. Revson Fellow on the Future of the City of New York. He is a graduate of Columbia University.

Time: 7:30-9:00pm,

Sponsor: 2008 Summer Institute of the Columbia University Oral History Research Office

More information: Liz Grefrath