What is academic freedom and why does it matter? At US universities, these questions are inextricable from reimagining a democracy at a time when its core principles are under duress.
“Academic freedom” is a key indicator of the ever-shrinking critical space essential to flourishing democratic cultures. This basic principle was once protected for students to study histories of difference (racial, ethnic, sexual, religious, or economic) and to experiment with vital forms of public engagement. The intersection of academic freedom and democracy points to the university’s broader civic mission: to provide a learning environment (time, space, infrastructure and resources) for students to become active citizens. We will organize a series of seminars, workshops, and roundtables that bring together graduates, undergraduates, faculty and administrators to ask: Can the university sustain such an environment in the face of cascading attacks on academic freedom?
The 2026-2027 Mellon Sawyer Seminar, “Just Futures: Academic Freedom and Democratic Cultures,” with public programs and graduate seminars are funded by the Mellon Foundation and organized by the Area Global Initiative (AGI).
