A recent study by Inside Higher Ed and Hanover Research revealed that a substantial majority of college faculty members — 90 percent — perceive a threat to academic freedom.
Approximately 60 percent of respondents strongly agreed, and one-third somewhat agreed, that academic freedom in higher education has diminished. Faculty are specifically hesitant to discuss politics and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to Inside Higher Ed.
Over 40 percent of the 1,100 respondents “said their sense of academic freedom in teaching declined over the last year” while “more than 20 percent said the same about academic freedom in research,” the outlet reported.
Regarding “extramural” speech, such as speech on social media, about 50 percent of respondents said they “somewhat or strongly agreed” that they censor themselves “due to the situation on their own campus and/or the broader political environment.”
Further, about a third of faculty reported they are no longer discussing certain topics with students that they may have in the past. Similarly, 15 percent are “not researching or publishing on topics they otherwise would have.”
Inside Higher Ed and Hanover also asked faculty members which topics they felt less free to discuss. Among about a dozen topics, the three most commonly cited were the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and broader federal politics.
The survey further found that respondents from institutions in the Northeast and West reported feeling more constrained in discussing Middle East conflicts compared to their counterparts in the Midwest and South.
The survey also revealed a divide in perceptions based on political affiliation. Over half of the 74 Republican respondents “said they don’t believe academic freedom is equal for everyone along the political spectrum.”
In contrast, only 30 percent of Democrat respondents shared this view.
The outlet also reported that a forthcoming survey by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression reveals that 70 percent of faculty say it is difficult to have discussions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In addition, FIRE Research Fellow Nathan Honeycutt said the new survey found that “conservative faculty are much more concerned about damaging their reputation or losing their jobs than liberal faculty,” Inside Higher Ed reported.
FIRE also released a survey last year showing that support for free speech varies depending on the faculty member’s academic discipline.
The free speech group found that “faculty in business and STEM fields are more supportive of free speech and academic freedom” than their counterparts.
Another survey, released earlier this year, found that nine out of 10 college students consider free speech rights to be very important. At the same time, however, most students also say some speech should be prohibited, The College Fix reported.
MORE: 74 percent of students would report professors for offending them
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