Episode #315: Higher Ed, Free Speech, and the Future of Democracy

In this thought-provoking episode, political philosopher and Penn GSE professor Dr. Sigal Ben-Porath joins host Dustin to unpack one of higher ed’s most pressing—and polarizing—topics: the future of free speech and academic freedom on campus. Drawing from her books Free Speech on Campus and Cancel Wars, Dr. Ben-Porath makes the case for a more inclusive vision of free expression in higher education, while warning against rising government overreach in curricula. She also highlights the important work happening on this topic at the SNF Paideia Program, where she is Faculty Director.

Together, they explore how colleges can stay true to their democratic mission even as they navigate growing political pressure and cultural division.

Guest Name: Dr. Sigal Ben-Porath - Professor & Faculty Director at University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education

Guest Social: LinkedIn

Guest Bio: Dr. Ben-Porath has been teaching at Penn GSE since 2004. She is an associate member of the political science department and the philosophy department at Penn. She also currently serves as the faculty director of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Paideia Program. She served as a special assistant to the university president, and as chair of the faculty advisory board to Penn Press, and as executive committee member of the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy. In 2010 she was a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies at Princeton, in 2012–2013 she was affiliated with the Safra Center for Ethics at Tel Aviv University, and in 2020–2021 she was a fellow in residence at the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard.

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Connect With Our Host:
Dustin Ramsdell
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/

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