View in EDS

Contested Speech in (Post)-Modernity: Understanding Debates about Political Dialogue on College Campuses

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Contested Speech in (Post)-Modernity: Understanding Debates about Political Dialogue on College Campuses
Language: English
Authors: Rachel Wahl
Source: Teachers College Record. 2026 128(4):126-149.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 24
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: College Students, Political Attitudes, Beliefs, Freedom of Speech, Dialogs (Language), Perspective Taking, Differences, Politics of Education
DOI: 10.1177/01614681261454039
ISSN: 0161-4681
1467-9620
Abstract: Background: In recent years, commentators have often criticized university students for their perceived lack of willingness to engage in dialogue with peers and speakers with whom they disagree. Objective: Although commentators tend to argue over whether students should engage in dialogue across differences, this article examines a different question--Why does talk itself matter so much to contemporary political struggles, particularly on college campuses? Research Design: This article is situated primarily in theoretical work such as the scholarship of Charles Taylor, Hannah Arendt, and John Dewey. To illustrate the theoretical claims, the article also draws on contemporary examples of controversies over speech within higher education and on the author's longitudinal, qualitative study of structured dialogue sessions between politically opposed college students. Conclusion: The author argues that controversies over speech on college campuses are rooted partly in longstanding tensions within the modern liberal imaginary, which are exacerbated by the ways in which that worldview has extended into postmodern conceptions of personhood.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1508468
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1508468
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Contested Speech in (Post)-Modernity: Understanding Debates about Political Dialogue on College Campuses
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rachel+Wahl%22">Rachel Wahl</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Teachers+College+Record%22"><i>Teachers College Record</i></searchLink>. 2026 128(4):126-149.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 24
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Evaluative
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+Attitudes%22">Political Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Beliefs%22">Beliefs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Freedom+of+Speech%22">Freedom of Speech</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dialogs+%28Language%29%22">Dialogs (Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Perspective+Taking%22">Perspective Taking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Differences%22">Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Politics+of+Education%22">Politics of Education</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1177/01614681261454039
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0161-4681<br />1467-9620
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: In recent years, commentators have often criticized university students for their perceived lack of willingness to engage in dialogue with peers and speakers with whom they disagree. Objective: Although commentators tend to argue over whether students should engage in dialogue across differences, this article examines a different question--Why does talk itself matter so much to contemporary political struggles, particularly on college campuses? Research Design: This article is situated primarily in theoretical work such as the scholarship of Charles Taylor, Hannah Arendt, and John Dewey. To illustrate the theoretical claims, the article also draws on contemporary examples of controversies over speech within higher education and on the author's longitudinal, qualitative study of structured dialogue sessions between politically opposed college students. Conclusion: The author argues that controversies over speech on college campuses are rooted partly in longstanding tensions within the modern liberal imaginary, which are exacerbated by the ways in which that worldview has extended into postmodern conceptions of personhood.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1508468
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1508468
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/01614681261454039
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 24
        StartPage: 126
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Political Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Beliefs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Freedom of Speech
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Dialogs (Language)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Perspective Taking
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Politics of Education
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Contested Speech in (Post)-Modernity: Understanding Debates about Political Dialogue on College Campuses
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Rachel Wahl
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0161-4681
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1467-9620
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 128
            – Type: issue
              Value: 4
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Teachers College Record
              Type: main
ResultId 1