Rampant misinformation and manufactured culture wars about higher education have dramatically fragmented longstanding bipartisan support for colleges and universities in the United States. Higher education is now a source of prevalent sociopolitical polarization rather than civic cooperation and trust-building. In this presentation, Vivian will argue that such developments threaten academic freedom itself (the freedom of scholars to teach their specialties without censorship and the freedom of students to learn what they wish to learn in kind). As our nation marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Vivian will explain why academic freedom has been essential to the American experiment from the beginning and why defending it in a time of sociopolitical fragmentation is crucial to democracy writ large.

Brad Vivian, professor of communication arts and sciences and director of undergraduate studies, will present as part of the College of the Liberal Arts’ Moments of Change: Fragmentation theme. Fragmentation is the latest theme in the college’s year-long Moments of Change series, which explores pivotal ideas and moments that shape society.