James Holbrook, Professor of Law, and Valeri Craigle, Head of Digital Publishing at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, will explore the dangers of cultural imperialism in foreign policy and the costs of unintended consequences arising from the Iraq War. In 2008, this law school received funding from the U.S. State Department to provide legal assistance to the nascent government of Iraq. The goal was to promote a stable country, but the failure of the initial invasion and occupation to grasp the deeper roots of Iraqi society made this nearly impossible. Holbrook and Craigle discuss these challenges in their book “A Long Way From A Way Forward: Our Journey Through Legal Reform in Post-War Iraq.”

A Q&A and refreshments will follow. The lecture is free, open to the public, and made possible by a grant from Utah Humanities.

This event is organized by Books & Bridges — a community institute of ideas and conversation. Our mission is to facilitate discussion on the best of human thought. We explore the wisdoms of the world and apply them to modern life. We have no political, religious or ideological affiliation. In a society divided by uncivil discourse, the beauty of the humanities—novels, history, philosophy, poetry, ethics and epics—lifts us to our better angels. In our busy world we need space for friends and fellow learners to do a little more heart-to-heart and mind-to-mind.