In a recent Inside Higher Ed/Hanover Research survey, over 90 percent of college professors from public, private, two-year, and four-year universities said they strongly or somewhat agree that academic freedom in higher education is under threat. Moreover, 55 percent believe that academic freedom is under threat on their own campuses. The survey, carried out just before the 2024 election, found that, over the past year,
- 22 percent of respondents experienced a decline in their sense of academic freedom in research;
- 42 percent experienced a decline in their sense of academic freedom in teaching;
- 49 percent experienced a decline in their sense of academic freedom in extramural speech (e.g., social media).
The survey further found that, due to this sense of declining academic freedom, many professors are self-censoring on topics such as Israel/Palestine, “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” and federal politics in general. While certain classrooms (e.g., calculus) rightly have no space for these conversations, there are other areas (e.g., philosophy) where self-censorship could interfere with students’ proper education. How are faculty to engage in fruitful discussions with others about pressing issues if they must constantly stifle their own speech, worrying about retaliation from administration, students, or the general public?
Professors of all political backgrounds sense a decline in their academic freedom, causing them to self-censor to avoid consequences.Survey responses show that faculty self-censorship has taken a variety of forms, both in and out of the classroom. Circumstances both on campus and in the “broader political environment” have led professors to refrain from discussing certain topics with their students (35 percent), covering certain subjects in class (26 percent), and researching/publishing on certain issues (15 percent). Even off campus, professors feel the need to self-censor: Nearly half of all respondents refrain from “making extramural utterances” (e.g., posting online) to avoid controversy.
Professors of all political beliefs are wary of discussing numerous issues today, including DEI, gender identity, abortion, and immigration. Unsurprisingly, the conflict between Israel and Palestine topped this list, with two-thirds of the professors who reported a declining sense of academic freedom saying that they feel less free to discuss the issue today than they did a year ago. Historically, it’s been conservative professors who’ve suffered public and institutional backlash for their words and opinions. But, when it comes to the Israel/Palestine conflict, it’s liberal professors’ turn to face attack for their beliefs. While many Jewish faculty and Israel supporters are, in the words of one survey respondent, “intimidated, disrespected, silenced and marginalized,” some pro-Palestinian professors are facing backlash for their words and writings on the conflict. To be clear, leftist faculty should feel hesitant to spew flagrant antisemitism in lectures or on social media. But a political-science or history professor must be free to lead clear-eyed discussions of Israeli and Palestinian policy.
Do all political views get the same amount of academic freedom on campus? Over a third of respondents do not believe “that faculty of all political persuasions at their institution enjoy the same level of academic freedom or free expression,” while another 22 percent are unsure. While 55 percent of Republican respondents disagreed with this equality claim, only 30 percent of Democratic respondents did so. Inside Higher Ed concludes that “political affiliation appears to impact the perception of equal treatment.”
Regardless of which side faces greater discrimination, the survey demonstrates that professors of all political backgrounds sense a decline in their academic freedom, causing them to self-censor on a variety of topics to avoid consequences. In many cases, this self-censorship changes the way professors approach course material or research, meaning valuable information, perspectives, and discussions could be lost. Universities are meant to help people expand their knowledge, develop as thinkers, and pursue truth. When professors self-censor, universities can’t always meet that goal.
Both liberal and conservative professors agree that academic freedom is far from where it should be. It’s time for universities to embrace freedom of expression in academia. By implementing institutional neutrality and welcoming viewpoint diversity on campus, universities can reduce professorial self-censorship. In turn, this will encourage respectful, productive conversations about political issues, helping students and faculty expand their worldviews and more effectively pursue knowledge and truth.
Sophia Damian is a student at Wake Forest University and a 2024 Martin Center intern.