New academic paper alleges that conservatives are waging ‘war on higher education’ in support of ‘authoritarian causes’
The authors claim these efforts are ‘undermining’ the ‘collective right to research, learn about and address the structural forces that drive racism, sexism,and class inequality in the United States.’
Americans are increasingly losing confidence in higher education, with many critics saying that universities promote political ideology at the expense of intellectual inquiry.
A paper published by the University at Buffalo School of Law in New York alleges that conservatives are waging war on colleges and universities.
The paper, “The War on Higher Education,” was published on Sept. 1 by the University at Buffalo School of Law. The authors are Athena D. Mutua, Jonathan Feingold, Angela Harris, Emily M. S. Houh, Matthew Patrick Shaw, and Francisco Valdes, who work at the Law Schools of the University at Buffalo, Boston University, Seattle University, the University of Cincinnati, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Miami, respectively.
The paper alleges that “[h]igher education is under assault in the United States,” and claims that it “charts the increasingly brazen right-wing efforts in the U.S. Congress and the States to erode academic freedom and university independence— two pillars of our democratic republic.” The authors add that they also “identify a bi-partisan source of higher education’s present precarity: the neoliberal policies that precipitated the privatization and corporatization of universities across the country.”
The essay claims that the people allegedly behind this supposed “war on higher education” are also attacking “the electoral process; public education; the right to bodily autonomy; the civil rights and liberties of minoritized and marginalized communities; and freedom of speech and expression (increasingly marshaled against pro-Palestinian advocacy).”
The authors cite Florida’s recent education reforms as proof of their hypothesis. They complain, for example, about the abolishing of the New College’s Office of Outreach and Inclusive Excellence, and the decision to end the school’s gender studies program.
Such initiatives are supposedly part of an “antidemocratic project” that is “supported by a well-resourced network of right-wing officials, think tanks, foundations, and media,” the paper claims. The authors lament that those behind this alleged project are “undermining” the “collective right to research, learn about and address the structural forces that drive racism, sexism,and class inequality in the United States.”
They continue, claiming that these attacks are motivated by support for “authoritarian causes” that are threatened by free universities.
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A July 8 survey from Gallup shows that “[a]n increasing proportion of U.S. adults say they have little or no confidence in higher education,” with 32 percent of those polled saying they have “very little” or “no” confidence in higher education, and another 32 percent saying they only have “some.”
American colleges and universities frequently face criticism for becoming “woke” and promoting a leftist political ideology and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion principles at the expense of academic integrity and intellectual inquiry.
Reports have also demonstrated that professors in both universities and K-12 schools “overwhelmingly” back Democrat politicians and associated causes.
Campus Reform has reached out to the University at Buffalo School of Law and the paper’s authors for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
