In defense of a liberal education: The language and politics of academic freedom

Throughout the last decade, a shift in the use of language surrounding academic freedom has become increasingly apparent in public debates. By identifying the linkages between the system of American higher education, the purpose of humanistic education, the rise of the conservative Right, and the development of academic freedom, this investigation examines the historical junctures that inform that shift and shows that recent attempts by the conservative Right to rearticulate the language of academic freedom are part of a larger system that works, consciously and unconsciously, to change the scope of higher education, and particularly that of humanistic education, to reflect conservative ideology.;This project begins by exploring the connections between humanistic ideas of liberal education and intellectual freedom in concert with the rise of the conservative Right in order to understand why recent challenges made to academic freedom focus primarily on the work of the humanities. Tracing the historical legacy of academic freedom from its roots in medieval universities to its role throughout the development of American higher education, this investigation highlights key moments that served to either inhibit or support the growth of intellectual freedom in the developing nation, examines significant factors that led to the emergence of American principles of academic freedom at the end of the nineteenth century, identifies key challenges made to academic freedom throughout the twentieth century, and showcases the ways in which strategies employed by those opposed to academic freedom move from direct attacks, such as investigative committees, to the more subtle manipulation of language.;An unique feature of the contemporary situation is the way in which humanistic language is being used against itself in order to shift understanding of academic freedom away from freedom for academics to a student-centered model. Analyzing conservative arguments for balance and intellectual diversity as well as proposed legislation for student freedom makes evident that current efforts by the conservative Right to rearticulate the language of academic freedom would effectively undermine freedom for academics by limiting scholarly control and situating power outside of disciplinary communities. In concert with the trend toward an increasingly "corporate" university, these efforts work to alter the conditions surrounding academic freedom and humanistic education and affect public understanding regarding the work of the university.;Ultimately, if academics fail to acknowledge and stymie conservative rearticulations of academic freedom, they stand to lose control of the definitions of their own work, and more importantly, the freedom to pursue such work. Therefore, it is extremely important for those who value the work of the university to recognize that now is the time to turn their efforts toward a collective response, an effort that begins by taking back the words.