In Support Of Dr. Tiffany Willoughby-Herard
Robin D. G. Kelley, Substack Most academics in the U.S., as well as activists resisting the genocide in Gaza, are familiar with the case of Professor Tiffany Willoughby-Herard, a renowned…
Federal Judge Schools MAGA-Friendly Supreme Court Justices on the Importance of Taking Trump’s Words Seriously
Austin Sarat Writing in the wake of the 2016 presidential election and anticipating what American life would be like under Donald Trump, M. Gessen offered some rules for surviving autocracy.…
Colleges and Universities Should Take Their Civic and Social Purposes Seriously
Austin Sarat On July 6, the New York Times published an editorial entitled “A Great University Undermines Its Mission.” I turned to it eagerly, expecting to see a stirring defense…
America’s 250th Birthday Is a Good Time to Reflect on the Growth of Misguided Civic Education Programs in Colleges and Universities
July 4, 2026, is the 250th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence. It seems like a moment for this nation’s civic and educational institutions to celebrate. But I detect a…
Higher Education Must Not Become a Research Arm of Militarized Power
By Henry A. Giroux This article was originally published by Truthout Universities risk becoming agents of militarized socialization rather than sites of democratic education. What happens to higher education when…
Texas Universities’ Crackdown on LGBT Courses and DEI Is Getting Worse
By Ryan Claycamp This article was originally published by Truthout As pressure intensifies, universities have restructured, fired faculty, cancelled classes and limited discussion topics. Students at both the University of…
Commencement 2026: Sweet Sorrow and the Privilege of Letting Go
Austin Sarat ScheerPost My college, Amherst College, held its Commencement on Saturday, May 23. Like similar events across the country, our ceremony marks a new beginning for the graduates. But…
Autocracy, Confusion and Teaching History Part Two
Jim Mamer ScheerPost History is not old, especially with people still living with its consequences. Delicia Turner Sonnenberg Comments on Directing August Wilson’s Fences 2026 Part One Available Here Part…
Autocracy, Confusion and Teaching History, Part One
Jim Mamer ScheerPost The purpose of education, finally, is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions, to say…
It’s Time to Revive the Free Speech Movement on College Campuses, and This Time College Presidents Must Lead It
Austin Sarat ScheerPost As the school year winds down on college campuses across the country, it seems clear that 2025-26 was not a great time for free speech in the…
Michigan Prof’s Only Offense: Humanizing Palestinians
Shamai Leibowitz Informed Comment I am a Jewish American-Israeli, and a veteran of the IDF. But according to the University of Michigan administration, I am someone who needs to be…
Williams College Case Is a Test of How Far Colleges Are Willing to Go in the Name of Diversity
In recent years, diversity has become both a touchstone for judging colleges and universities and a lightning rod for critics. Colleges seek to attract students by advertising the demographic diversity…
Exposing the University of Michigan’s Violence Against Chinese Scholars
Megan Russell for Codepink On Friday night, CODEPINK and the local University of Michigan community gathered to hold a vigil in honor of UM researcher Dr. Danhao Wan on the…
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From Campus To Bank Account: The Expanding War On Free Speech
From campus arrests to banking shutdowns, dissent is no longer debated—it’s punished. Joshua Scheer The crackdown on dissent in the United States is no longer abstract—it’s operational. What was once…
From BBC to ICE Detention: The Arrest of Yousof Azizi and the Collapse of “Free Speech”
Iranian academic and media commentator faces deportation as supporters warn of political retaliation against anti-war voices Joshua Scheer Inspired by the growing campaign to free Yousof Azizi, I looked deeper…