Will Trump's Second Presidency Be Good or Bad for Academic Freedom?

Join us for a lively and thought-provoking debate on whether a second Trump presidency will be good or bad for academic freedom.

As universities grapple with increasing censorship, ideological divides and political pressures, the question remains: Will Trump’s second presidency strengthen or undermine the freedom of students and academics to teach, research and debate without fear of censorship?

Our panellists will examine Trump’s ambitious plans for higher education, his sweeping executive orders on DEI and academic policy, and the broader implications of “Trump 2.0” for free intellectual inquiry in universities.

This event is jointly hosted by the Committee for Academic Freedom (CAF) and QMUL Academics for Academic Freedom. It marks the launch of CAF’s “Open to Argument” seminar series, dedicated to encouraging lively, intelligent, good-faith discussions on controversial subjects.

All are welcome to attend what promises to be a spirited and insightful exchange of ideas. Admission is free, but registration is required. The debate will be followed by a reception with free drinks and nibbles.

Arguing that Trump is good for academic freedom

Eric Kaufmann is Professor of Politics at the University of Buckingham and the author of Taboo: How Making Race Sacred Produced a Cultural Revolution. Kaufmann has written extensively on political demography, the rise of “woke” cultural socialism, and free speech in academia.

James Orr is Associate Professor of Philosophy of Religion at the University of Cambridge. Orr has commented widely on the role of conservative thought in modern academia and the impact of political shifts on intellectual freedom. He recently participated in an Unherd debate on whether we should welcome the new Trump era.

Arguing that Trump is bad for academic freedom

Alan Sokal is Professor of Mathematics at UCL and Professor Emeritus of Physics at New York University. Famous for the 1996 “Sokal hoax,” he is one of the most thoughtful voices in the continuing debate on the status of evidence-based knowledge. He is the author of Beyond the Hoax: Science, Philosophy and Culture and the co-author of Intellectual Impostures: Postmodern Philosophers’ Abuse of Science.

Helen Pluckrose is an author and cultural writer known for her critiques of critical social justice and promotion of liberal ethics. She is the co-author of the book Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity – and Why This Harms Everybody and was a co-architect of the “Grievance Studies” academic hoax.

The event will take place at the Mathematics Lecture Theatre, which is in the ground floor of the School of Mathematical Sciences building, Queen Mary University of London. A campus map and directions to the Mile End campus can be found here; the School of Mathematical Sciences is located in building 4 of the map.

Host or Publisher Committee for Academic Freedom