Faculty speech, academic freedom, and democratic backsliding

Faculty at public and private universities serve the public interest by producing and disseminating knowledge. To do so, they must have a degree of independence from governments, donors, and the public. Academic freedom and independence are under threat across the world. In the United States, the combination of academic freedom and First Amendment rights should be a strong bulwark against interference with faculty research, teaching, and other parts of the academic enterprise. However, the relationship between the two is often misunderstood and the protections afforded faculty speech under current First Amendment doctrine may be inadequate. An academic speech doctrine may be needed to protect faculty academic and speech rights and avoid further erosion of democratic norms and institutions.