There has been a lot of discussion lately within higher education circles about free speech and academic freedom. These conversations are often juxtaposed against calls for a more inclusive and equitable environment, pitting these two areas against one another. There have been several high profile incidents of faculty members, visiting scholars, and external speakers running into controversy for things they've said or presented. Students and administrators have been quick to push back, call out the speech or behavior as harmful and oppressive, and call for sanctions to be leveled against the offending individual. I fear, however, that we've created a false binary here and it has a great deal to do with our understanding of harm.
There are often calls to punish faculty members under supposed violations of university non-discrimination policies. These policies, however, are often fairly specific about what constitutes discrimination, and are based on federal laws. Unfair treatment, harassment, and denial of educational or workplace opportunities based on protected class, along with retaliation for reporting these actions, most typically full under the banner of a university non-discrimination policy. This, however, leaves speech or actions not directed at an individual outside of the purview of such policies. It is these incidents that continue to result in student protests, admonishments from university administrators, and de facto sanctions for faculty members due to the harm to their professional reputation.
The conversation about the nature of academic freedom and free speech is a lengthy one, and no doubt a topic for another post. Today, however, I'm interested in notions of harm and discomfort. Higher education has the power, and I would argue, a responsibility to challenge students to think critically, think differently, and wrestle with the discomfort that comes with having their ideas and beliefs challenged. It is through this discomfort that we grow as scholars and as human beings, becoming more assured of our beliefs or allowing our beliefs to evolve with the introduction of new information. However, the idea that ones beliefs can change over time has been eroded in recent years.
We consistently witness political and other public figures double down on misinformed and misguided beliefs in the face of evidence to the contrary. We are given ample opportunity to let our beliefs evolve, but choose not to do so for fear that we will be judged wishy-washy or not committed to the "cause". Being in a position to change or update ones opinions means being in situations that make us uncomfortable. This should be obvious. Of course we are going to feel discomfort during these powerful moments of cognitive dissonance. Our beliefs are birthed and fostered in communities of often like-minded individuals and encountering an idea that doesn't fit that narrative can be jarring.
Higher education can and should be about creating those jarring moments. It should be about asking difficult and contrary questions, wrestling with new and controversial ideas, and forging our own beliefs, based on our own knowledge and observations. This is the beauty of a university environment that has historically been a space for this sort of raw curiosity, dialogue, and debate to take place, away from the risks of such actions in other public venues. However, we are seeing a resistance to this discomfort under the banner of harm.
There is no question that folks are experiencing real harm, real discrimination, and real oppression every single day on our college campuses, in our office spaces, and in our communities. Arguing that feelings of discomfort after being exposed to a new or controversial idea somehow falls into that same category only muddies the waters and makes it harder for those of us fighting against the discrimination and oppression that is causing real harm to others. Our minds are beautiful creations, capable of so much creativity, interest, and questioning. Let's remember that changing your mind is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of growth and critical thinking!
