Speak Freely: Why Universities Must Defend Free Speech - Paperback

by Keith E. Whittington (Author)

Why colleges and universities live or die by free speech

Free speech is under attack at colleges and universities today, as critics on and off campus challenge the value of freewheeling debate. In Speak Freely, Keith Whittington argues that universities must protect and encourage vigorous free speech because it goes to the heart of their mission to foster freedom of thought, ideological diversity, and tolerance. Examining hot-button issues such as trigger warnings, safe spaces, hate speech, disruptive protests, speaker disinvitations, and the use of social media by faculty, Speak Freely describes the dangers of empowering campus censors to limit speech and enforce orthodoxy. It explains why universities must make space for voices from both the Left and Right. And it points out how better understanding why the university lives or dies by free speech can help guide students, faculty, administrators, and alumni when faced with unpopular, hateful, or dangerous speech. Timely and vitally important, Speak Freely shows why universities can succeed only by fostering more free speech, more free thought--and a greater tolerance for both.

Back Jacket

"No other book so accessibly presents the fundamental principles of the free speech tradition and applies them to contemporary campus controversies--ranging from the heckling or disinviting of campus speakers to attempts to censure faculty for social media postings. A compelling defense of the university as an enclave of reason, Speak Freely is fresh, illuminating, galvanizing, and persuasive."--Jeffrey Rosen, National Constitution Center and George Washington University Law School

"If John Stuart Mill were around today, this is the book he might write about the free speech crisis on college campuses. Keith Whittington drills deep beneath the law and the excesses of political correctness to explain why universities' foremost mission is to make and spread knowledge, even at the cost of discomfort, offense, or pain. At a time when many universities have lost their way, Speak Freely exemplifies the clarity, civility, and compassion that they--and we--so badly need."--Jonathan Rauch, author of Kindly Inquisitors: The New Attacks on Free Thought

"Freedom of speech is crucial to the university and democracy. Keith Whittington provides a deep exploration of the reasons why--and carefully examines contemporary challenges on college campuses."--David Boaz, executive vice president of the Cato Institute and author of The Libertarian Mind

"An astute, crucial reminder that free speech and a diversity of perspectives are necessary prerequisites for a vibrant intellectual life. Whittington's persuasive case for both comes at a critical time for all members of the university community, as well as our larger society. Speak Freely is essential reading for everyone who is concerned about higher education and intellectual freedom."--Nadine Strossen, former president of the American Civil Liberties Union and author of HATE: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship

"Speak Freely is a thoughtful and compelling account of how colleges and universities came to embrace the value of free expression as central to their mission, why they should remain faithful to that value in the face of current controversies, and how they should best approach and address these issues. Carefully reasoned, balanced, and persuasive, this book will be a valuable guide for anyone who wants to better understand what's at stake in today's disputes over free speech on campus."--Geoffrey Stone, University of Chicago Law School

Author Biography

Keith E. Whittington is the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Politics at Princeton University.