Slavoj Zizek, author of Violence: Six Sideways Reflections (Picador; July 22, 2008), and Bernard-Henri Levy, author of Left In Dark Times: A Stand Against the New Barbarism (Random House; September 16, 2008) talked about their books on stage with Paul Holdengraber. They debated the parameters of tolerance and the global understanding of human rights. In his book Mr. Zizek examines how violence is perceived and questions whether capitalism and civilization encourage greater violence. Bernard Henri-Levy is critical of what he contends are liberals' misinformed concepts of tolerance. 

Slavoj Zizek is the author of over thirty books, including In Defense of Lost Causes. He is currently a senior researcher at the Institute of Sociology at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. Bernard-Henri Levy is the author of several books, including Barbarism with a Human Face and American Vertigo. He is the co-founder of the anti-racist group, SOS Racism.

This “LIVE from the NYPL” event, “A Debate Instigated by Paul Holdengraber,” was co-sponsored by the Consulate General of Slovenia. It was held at Celeste Bartos Forum of the New York Public Research Library of Humanities and Social Sciences.