Ep. 231: What is academic freedom? With Keith Whittington
from So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast
by FIRE
Published: Thu Dec 12 2024
Show Notes
"Who controls what is taught in American universities — professors or politicians?"
Yale Law professor Keith Whittington answers this timely question and more in his new book, "You Can't Teach That! The Battle over University Classrooms." He joins the podcast to discuss the history of academic freedom, the difference between intramural and extramural speech, and why there is a "weaponization" of intellectual diversity.
Keith E. Whittington is the David Boies Professor of Law at Yale Law School. Whittington's teaching and scholarship span American constitutional theory, American political and constitutional history, judicial politics, the presidency, and free speech and the law.
Timestamps:
Intro
The genesis of Yale's Center for Academic Freedom and Free Speech
The inspiration behind "You Can't Teach That!"
The First Amendment and academic freedom
Extramural speech and the public sphere
Intramural speech and its complexities
Florida's Stop WOKE Act
Distinctive features of K-12 education
University of Pennsylvania professor Amy Wax
University of Kansas professor Phillip Lowcock
Muhlenberg College professor Maura Finkelstein
University of Wisconsin La-Crosse professor Joe Gow
Northwestern professor Arthur Butz
Inconsistent applications of university policies
Weaponization of "intellectual diversity"
Outro
Show notes:
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"Speak Freely: Why Universities Must Defend Free Speech" Keith Whittington (2019)
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"You Can't Teach That!: The Battle Over University Classrooms" Keith Whittington (2023)
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AAUP Declaration of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure (1915)
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AAUP Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure (1940)
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"Kinsey"(2004)
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StopWOKE Act, HB 7. (Fla. 2022)
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Indianaintellectual diversity law, S.E.A. 354 (Ind. 2022)
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"Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District" (1969)