 |
Commonwealth Club of California PodcastThe Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. Author: Commonwealth Club of California
The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's largest public affairs forum. The nonpartisan and nonprofit Club produces and distributes programs featuring diverse viewpoints from thought leaders on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast the oldest in the U.S., since 1924 is carried on hundreds of stations. Our website features audio and video of our programs. This podcast feed is usually updated multiple times each week. Language: en-us Genres: Government, News, Politics Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
Listen Now...
The Opinionated University: Academic Freedom, Diversity, and the Myth of Neutrality in American Higher Education
Tuesday, 27 January, 2026
Can a university ever truly be neutral in today’s social and political climate? Pushing against the tide of universities increasingly pledging to stay neutral about contentious issues, law professor Brian Soucek argues that their promises are doomed to fail—universities can’t help being opinionated. Soucek says that neutrality is a myth, and he takes a deep dive into several prominent campus controversies of the day, including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts and restrictions on campus speech and protest. Each issue requires universities to choose a side in what they do, if not also in what they say. In everything from curricular and admissions decisions to their response to outside rankings and their evaluation of faculty, universities express the values at the heart of their mission. Soucek argues that those pushing for neutrality are only preventing universities from standing up for their values, whether in today’s current moment of crisis or in periods of political calm. Join us to discuss Soucek’s timely and deeply engaging call for universities to dispense with neutrality as a governing principle and to focus instead on what their mission should be, and who should determine it. A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. In association with the American Constitution Society. OrganizerGeorge Hammond Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
