Academic Freedom in the Era of Trump

The university is a foundational institution in society and a cornerstone of democracy. However, recent actions taken by the Trump administration pose an existential threat to this institution by undermining its singular animating right: academic freedom. In Academic Freedom in the Era of Trump, preeminent thinkers draw from their experience as university leaders and First Amendment scholars to portray this troubling moment for academic freedom. The volume examines the legal, historical, and philosophical foundations of academic freedom, its First Amendment roots, and the implications of recent political interference. The Supreme Court has now enshrined the principle of academic freedom within our First Amendment jurisprudence, unceasingly affirming the principle while continuing to refine its contours. Yet, the Trump administration has employed an authoritarian playbook to assault this principle, withholding federal research funding and exploiting antidiscrimination laws, among other tactics. To prevail in this moment, universities must defend academic freedom by clarifying and reaffirming the constitutional origins, emphasizing the indispensable societal role, and refining and articulating the distinct culture and structures of universities that allow the principle to flourish. Urgent and timely, this book offers a powerful defense of the university as a space for free inquiry and democratic resilience.