New Podcast Episodes on Academic Freedom Available
Two new podcast episodes focusing on academic freedom are now available in the SCAS Talks Spotlight series. They were recorded in conjunction with "A Week on Academic Freedom" held in October 2025.
Academic Freedom - part 1/2025
This SCAS Talks Spotlight on the event "A Week on Academic Freedom" delves into urgent threats to academic freedom worldwide. In this first part, experts highlight challenges from political interference and funding cuts impacting university autonomy. Discussions cover the US, where the Trump administration's actions and free speech debates loom large. In Europe, Hungary's government restructuring of universities and a broader erosion of academic freedom across the continent are examined. Speakers emphasize the vital role of universities as democratic pillars and the need for the research community to proactively defend academic freedom. They stress the importance of speaking up, standing against threats, and engaging the public about its value and legal foundations. The episode also touches on legal protections and defining academic freedom's core values.
Academic Freedom - part 2/2025
The second part of SCAS Talks Spotlight on "A Week on Academic Freedom" explores the critical link between academic freedom and democratic societies. Featuring insights from Biao Xiang, the episode discusses the "dual loop model" for securing research through public engagement. Experts highlight threats in Asia, differentiating between explicit attacks like censorship and covert erosions through mechanisms such as changing the syllabus and school text books, and through marketization. The conversation underscores the global and transnational nature of these challenges. SCAS Long-term Fellows Alisse Waterston and Michael Watts emphasize the vital role of Institutes for Advanced Study in studying threats, fostering solidarity, and protecting the "freedom to learn" for students. The podcast concludes with a call for academics to recognize subtle infringements and actively defend academic freedom, urging those in privileged positions to lead the way.