Concerns that free speech is being on university campuses, at least in the United Kingdom, are overblown, with the biggest threat originating not on campuses but from the government and its Prevent program. That’s a key takeaway in a new paper from Britain’s Higher Education Policy Institute, Free Speech and Censorship on Campus.
Some language in campus speech legislation may be largely symbolic and not change what many colleges are already doing. But, argues Neal Hutchens, some provisions in legislation could change campus speech rules in important ways.
This is an edited version of a speech given by Glyn Davis, distinguished professor of political science at the Crawford School of Public Policy at Australian National University, at a summit to explore issues of academic freedom and autonomy hosted by the Australian National University.
The former president of the University of Saskatchewan argues that freedom of expression is under attack in Canada’s universities through an accumulation of episodes that diminish its significance and through a vector of intellectual laziness accompanied by ideology and anger.
The response on many universities to a high tide of intolerance has been to limit free speech. That, says James Turk, is exactly the wrong response.
A concern for free expression and respect for science journalism are two themes Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood expounds on in an article in the newest edition of ‘Index on Censorship.’
Pushing for a lecture to be cancelled, or disrupted so that it is either postponed on health and safety grounds, or goes ahead but speakers are unable to be heard, is censorship, argues Jo Williams, and it is to the detriment of all within universities and wider society alike.
UPDATED WITH WINNERS: Various artists and intellectuals have written for Index on Censorship over the years. As the London-based organization hands out its annual Freedom of Expression Awards, here are some quotes from them that we hope inspire you to speak out for those who can’t.
When people with well-known, if controversial, ideas are disinvited from speaking engagements just because those known views bother some people who know how to send email or to tweet, something is very wrong, argues Russell Blackford.
