e live in an information-saturated world. In a 24/7 raging torrent, news, data and opinions overwhelm us via newspaper stories, television broadcasts, tweets and internet memes. Discerning what’s credible is harder than ever, as fiercely partisan critics cry foul with accusations of “fake news” and “alternative facts,” while wild rumors spread far and wide with the click of social media’s “Share” button. Words and facts seem to lack definite meaning or can be altered to suit our purposes. To complicate the situation, powerful internal and external forces influence what we choose to believe. Here, Willamette faculty and staff from a variety of disciplines offer their perspectives on these complex issues, as well as show how the university prepares students to separate fact from fiction. By Tina Owen 10
SPRING 2018