Profile

Will Potter - University of Michigan

Distinguished Lecturer

Bio

Will Potter is an award-winning author and internationally-recognized civil liberties advocate. He is best known for his work challenging government repression and the labeling of protest as "terrorism." Pulitzer Prize winner Glenn Greenwald described him as "the most knowledgeable journalist in the country on these issues." After being awarded the prestigious Knight Wallace Fellowship in Law Reporting, Will was appointed the Marsh Professor of Journalism at the University of Michigan, where he teaches courses on investigative journalism, social movements, and whistleblowing. His writing and opinions have appeared in the world’s top media outlets, including the Washington Post, CNN, National Geographic, Le Monde, The Sydney Morning Herald, VICE, and Rolling Stone. His book, Green Is The New Red, exposed how non-violent animal rights and environmental protesters became classified by the FBI as “eco-terrorists.” It has been translated into Spanish, French, Serbian, and Italian, and was awarded a Kirkus Star for “remarkable merit.” Counter-Terrorism Unit surveillance documents described it as "compelling and well-written."