Arjun S. Sethi

  • Internationally Recognized Human and Civil Rights Lawyer
  • Professor at Georgetown and Vanderbilt
  • Prolific Writer and Media Contributor
  • Co-Chair American Bar Association's National Committee on Homeland Security, Terrorism, and Treatment of Enemy Combatants

Arjun Singh Sethi is an internationally recognized human and civil rights lawyer, writer, and professor. He has worked closely with communities targeted by hate, state violence, and surveillance for more than a decade. His essays have appeared in The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and CNN, and he is featured regularly on national radio and television. In his book, American Hate: Survivors Speak Out, Arjun traveled the country and documented the stories of people targeted by violence in connection with the 2016 presidential election. Arjun holds faculty appointments at Georgetown University Law Center and Vanderbilt University Law School and co-chairs the American Bar Association’s National Committee on Homeland Security, Terrorism, and Treatment of Enemy Combatants. 

 

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Past Hosts Include:
  • South Asian Bar Association
  • New York University
  • O'Melveny & Myers
  • Organization for Society and Cooperation in Europe
  • Baker Botts
  • Center for American Progress
Rave Reviews About Arjun S. Sethi
Sethi provides a necessary voice of reason. As an attorney, he has represented victims of domestic violence, asylum seekers, national security detainees, and criminal defendants on death row. In debates on national security, he has called out actions that stigmatize innocent groups, fan the flames of Islamophobia, and harm Muslim, Arab, and Sikh Americans. Sethi’s advocacy is critical to defend the basic human rights of every American.

The Color of Surveillance | Georgetown Law Channel [16:54] - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Arjun S. Sethi
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Building A More Just & Equitable America

People are targeted across this country because of who they are and what they believe. The hate comes in many forms: vicious intimidation and cybertrolling; vandalism and arson of houses of worship; assault or even murder on your own doorstep. Hate is proliferating and spiking, so how do we combat i ...

People are targeted across this country because of who they are and what they believe. The hate comes in many forms: vicious intimidation and cybertrolling; vandalism and arson of houses of worship; assault or even murder on your own doorstep. Hate is proliferating and spiking, so how do we combat it? Arjun will take you to the front lines and show you how survivors are rebuilding and resisting, how local communities and allies are supporting them, and what you can do to take on bias and hate. A single hateful act can reveal the worst in humanity, and the response the most compassionate. 

Protecting Civil & Human Rights: Vindicating The Rights of the Vulnerable

The promise of civil and human rights is the fabric that connects us all. They bridge our divides, transcend borders, and cultivate democratic and economic prosperity. Yet, civil and human rights are routinely ignored and violations are rarely addressed. In this unique talk, Arjun will describe why ...

The promise of civil and human rights is the fabric that connects us all. They bridge our divides, transcend borders, and cultivate democratic and economic prosperity. Yet, civil and human rights are routinely ignored and violations are rarely addressed. In this unique talk, Arjun will describe why we must stand up for the most vulnerable, the role the U.S. must play in safeguarding these rights, the opportunities and perils of human rights advocacy, and why vindicating these rights makes for a more just and safe planet. He will draw from his diverse experiences, including serving as a legal observer across the world, including at Guantanamo Bay, and being censored by foreign nations, including Saudi Arabia, for his human rights reporting.     

The New America: Learning & Growing from Uniqueness

By 2050, there will no racial or religious majority in the U.S. These changing demographics will reshape our schools, cities, companies, and electorate. How do we ensure that diversity reenergizes rather than divides us? Arjun will discuss how to celebrate diversity, cultivate equity, and prepare fo ...

By 2050, there will no racial or religious majority in the U.S. These changing demographics will reshape our schools, cities, companies, and electorate. How do we ensure that diversity reenergizes rather than divides us? Arjun will discuss how to celebrate diversity, cultivate equity, and prepare for the fissures and opportunities that lie ahead. He will provide insights that he has previously shared with law enforcement, legislators, the Equal Opportunity Commission, and the U.S. State Department.

Privacy In The Age of Surveillance

We live in a world where our every movement can be tracked and our every thought monitored. The places we go, the people we call, the sites we visit, and the ideas we search for online reveal who we are and what we believe. This can lead to state surveillance, corporate exploitation, and manipulatio ...

We live in a world where our every movement can be tracked and our every thought monitored. The places we go, the people we call, the sites we visit, and the ideas we search for online reveal who we are and what we believe. This can lead to state surveillance, corporate exploitation, and manipulation by third parties. Arjun will explore privacy in the digital era, why we have an interest in privacy even if we have “nothing to hide,” and how to regulate the collection and dissemination of our data. 

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Books by Arjun S. Sethi
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Biography

Arjun Singh Sethi is an internationally recognized civil and human rights lawyer, writer, and professor. He has worked closely with communities targeted by hate, state violence, and surveillance for more than a decade. He has represented survivors in court, chronicled their stories, and advocated for their interests at the national and international levels. His previous clients include victims of domestic violence, asylum seekers, national security detainees, and criminal defendants on death row. Arjun has testified before international human rights bodies and served as a legal observer across the world, including in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Arjun’s writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, CNN, and other media outlets, and he is featured regularly on national radio and television. In his book, American Hate: Survivors Speak Out, Arjun traveled the country and documented the stories of people targeted by hate violence in connection with the 2016 presidential election. 

Arjun holds faculty appointments at Georgetown University Law Center and Vanderbilt University Law School and co-chairs the American Bar Association’s National Committee on Homeland Security, Terrorism, and Treatment of Enemy Combatants. He previously served as Policy Counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union, where he worked on a range of human rights, national security, and privacy related issues. Arjun is a graduate of New York University Law School and the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.