Preserving Free Speech And Fighting Cancel Culture
- Editor OGN Daily
- Nov 12, 2023
- 2 min read
Inspired by the Harvard Council on Academic Freedom in the US, more than 100 academics at Britain’s top universities have joined forces to “fight cancel culture” in a new council for academic freedom.
In the first move of its kind in the UK, the scholars have formed the London Universities’ Council for Academic Freedom that spans all of the capital’s campuses and aims to defend the principles of free inquiry, intellectual diversity and civil discourse. As everyone everywhere knows, there has been a spate of unpleasant free speech rows in recent years.
So, it's good news that the Council for Academic Freedom has plucked up the courage to try and do something about this - and has already amassed more than 100 academics (70 of them professors) mainly from the ‘big four’ London universities who are members of the prestigious Russell Group.
They will aim to prevent free speech scandals happening in the first place by “demonstrating the strength and breadth of support for academic freedom” to university bosses and drawing up resources to challenge “institutional policies and practices” that erode free speech.
One of the co-founders, John Armstrong, a lecturer in financial mathematics at King’s College London, told The Telegraph: “We encourage open, honest, courageous and reasoned discussion of controversial ideas, in and outside of the classroom, in a spirit of having respect for people even while one does not necessarily respect their beliefs."
“We oppose harassment and discrimination against university staff and students, including on the basis of their beliefs and lawful expression of their views. We support the right to protest and criticise but oppose attempts to obstruct the freedom of others to express their lawful views.”
Meanwhile, across the pond at Harvard, the university's Council on Academic Freedom is a faculty-led organization united by their commitment to the following three principles:
Free Inquiry: The Council advocates for academic freedom in teaching, research, and speech for members of the Harvard community.
Intellectual Diversity: The members of the council believe that Harvard should promote the thoughtful engagement of students and scholars who represent a broad range of opinions.
Civil Discourse: The Council encourages respectful, honest, and courageous discussion of controversial ideas in and outside of the classroom.
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