Threats to Academic Freedom: Why Faculty Free Speech Is Indispensable to Scholarly Discourse.
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| Title: | Threats to Academic Freedom: Why Faculty Free Speech Is Indispensable to Scholarly Discourse. |
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| Authors: | Hodge, David R. (AUTHOR), Parrish, Danielle (AUTHOR), Drake, Brett (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of Social Work Education. Fall2025, Vol. 61 Issue 4, p527-541. 15p. |
| Subjects: | Social workers, Censorship, Professional ethics, Professional practice, Diffusion of innovations, Disinformation, Social justice, Universities & colleges, Social services, Culture, College teachers, Social responsibility, Social work education, Confidence, Psychological well-being, Intellectual freedom, Communication, Practical politics, Social support, Civil rights, Ethics |
| Abstract: | Academic freedom, and the closely related concept of free speech, is challenged by actors across the political continuum. After reviewing the growing threats to academic freedom and the attendant effects on faculty, we describe eight reasons why social workers should support the free speech rights of faculty. Specifically, we contend that academic freedom: (a) enhances educational quality, (b) supports the social work profession's ethics and standards, (c) stimulates research innovation, (d) counters disinformation, (e) engenders public confidence in science, (f) models civil discourse for an increasingly polarized culture, (g) strengthens liberal democracy, and (h) facilitates the creation of more socially just societies. We conclude by acknowledging that affirming and defending academic freedom is often difficult but is a necessary choice, as it plays an indispensable role in scholarly discourse, enhancing the well-being of our clients and the society in which they are embedded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Academic freedom, and the closely related concept of free speech, is challenged by actors across the political continuum. After reviewing the growing threats to academic freedom and the attendant effects on faculty, we describe eight reasons why social workers should support the free speech rights of faculty. Specifically, we contend that academic freedom: (a) enhances educational quality, (b) supports the social work profession's ethics and standards, (c) stimulates research innovation, (d) counters disinformation, (e) engenders public confidence in science, (f) models civil discourse for an increasingly polarized culture, (g) strengthens liberal democracy, and (h) facilitates the creation of more socially just societies. We conclude by acknowledging that affirming and defending academic freedom is often difficult but is a necessary choice, as it plays an indispensable role in scholarly discourse, enhancing the well-being of our clients and the society in which they are embedded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 10437797 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/10437797.2025.2453427 |
