Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity in Higher Education and American Society

The Civic Discourse Project (2017-2018)

The school dedicated our inaugural lecture series and conference to the theme of free speech and intellectual diversity. We felt a duty in our first year to address one of the most contentious issues in higher education today:  the hyper-polarization of appropriate speech and invited speakers. Across eight lecture and dialogue events, plus a two-day conference, the school assembled high profile speakers from a range of viewpoints to discuss the meaning of intellectual diversity in education; the new challenges facing freedom of discourse; and the implications of this campus crisis for America’s civic order. Speakers include Jonathan Haidt, Steven Pinker, Allison Stanger, and Harvey Mansfield.

Featured event

The Importance of Open Dialogue

In January 2018, the school had Robert P. George and Cornel West join Arizona State University to discuss the importance of open dialogue in pursuit of civil discussion and the serious and respectful exchange of ideas, on university campuses and in American society. The event is co-sponsored by the Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications and the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. It is the first 2018 event in the series: “Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity in Higher Education and American Society.”

Watch the series

Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity
Stefanie Lindquist, Heather MacDonald, Bret Weinstein and Ulrich Baer 
Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity
Jeremy Waldron
Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity
Azhar Majeed, Donald Downs and Laura Beth Nielsen. Moderated by James Weinstein
Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity
Eugene Volokh, James Manley and Larry Alexander. Moderated by Mike Liburdi 
 
Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity
Zachary Wood, Matthew Foldi, Gabriel Sandler and Téa Francesca Price
Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity
Joshua Dunn, Neil Gross and Rick Garnett. Moderated by Cristine Legare
Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity
James Stoner, Harvey Mansfield and Norma Thompson. Moderated by Daniel Cullen
Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity
Robert Post
Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity
Steven Hayward

Arizona PBS


The School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership has partnered with Arizona PBS to broadcast The Civic Discourse Project to the greater Arizona community. In its third year, the show has reached thousands of viewers across the Valley. Previous episodes can be viewed online on Arizona PBS' website

Visit Arizona PBS's website. 

In the news

Experts at inaugural ASU conference tackle campus free speech

February 25, 2018 ASU Now

Arizona State University's School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership held its inaugural spring conference Friday and Saturday on the Tempe campus.

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Free-speech discussion at ASU highlights universities' responsibility to the pursuit of truth

February 12, 2018 ASU Now

As recently as January of this year, yet another college was in an uproar over a controversial speaker when University of Chicago students, faculty and alumni demanded the school rescind its invitation to former Trump White House Chief Strategist Ste

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Steven Pinker addresses human progress, free speech to ASU audiences

April 4, 2018 ASU Now

Steven Pinker has a message for all those standing at the ready, poised to raise the doomsday alarm at a moment’s notice: Not so fast. In his new book, “Enlightenment Now” (which Bill Gates has declared his “favorite book of all time”), the Harvar

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