How to Develop Free Speech on Campus

This How to guide addresses the complex debate around free speech and academic freedom within universities and provides proven pedagogic responses to the issues raised. Contributors showcase and dissect case studies of universities’ failures and successes in dealing with issues including ‘culture wars’, ‘woke’/ ‘antiwoke’ disputes, antisemitism, decolonising the curriculum, Islamophobia, Israel-Palestine and racism. Eighteen chapters encompass eight countries from the UK to North America and Japan.

Drawing on linguistics, philosophy and sociology, contributing authors propose practical solutions to help universities respond to verbal hostility and volatile campaigns. These are designed to facilitate universities’ commitment to conversation. They focus on discussions around the table, use of in-person writing exercises and online pedagogy, with the aim of fostering academic freedom on campus. The book first assesses the new UK guidance on freedom of speech legislation. It then explores the political use of legislation internationally to regulate speech on campus. Finally, it offers practical pedagogic alternatives to square ethical principles with contextual practicalities.

Academic staff across the social sciences, humanities and law alongside university administrators and senior management will benefit from this book’s theoretical and practical insights into freedom of speech on campus. Sharing the risk of disagreement is an academic freedom obligation within agreed academic parameters. This will also be an engaging and accessible read for student services and student unions, and an informative resource on these contemporary issues for journalists and politicians.