Academic Freedom

Tsung-Dao Lee (李政道), Member (1951–53, 1957–58) and Faculty (1960–62) in the Institute’s School of Mathematics/Natural Sciences, died on August 4. During his time at IAS, Lee was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics alongside his Institute colleague Chen-Ning Yang (楊振寧) for revolutionary work on parity violation which fundamentally changed our understanding of the laws of physics.

By Joan Wallach Scott, Professor Emerita in the School of Social Science: 

"[The Hamline case] is not an example of any tension between diversity and academic freedom, but of the confusion between fair treatment of minority students (respect and care for their well-being) and capitulation to religious censorship. The one does not require the other."

Free speech makes no distinctions as to quality; academic freedom does. Are all opinions equally valid in a university classroom? Are professors being "ideological" when they refuse to accept the Bible as scientific evidence? What, then, becomes of...

Joan Wallach Scott, Professor Emerita in the School of Social Science, discusses the threats to academic freedom that exist in the current political atmosphere with Bill Moyers, former White House Press Secretary, saying:

"The thing about education —...