The independence of research is a key strategic issue of modern societies. Dealing with it appropriately poses legal, economic, political, social and cultural problems for society, which have been studied by the corresponding disciplines and are increasingly the subject of reflexive discourses of scientific communities. Unfortunately, problems of…

Critical thinking is often nominated as a graduate attribute, a learning outcome, and is even offered as a discrete subject in schools and universities. Therefore, it is important to gain clarity about the fundamental goal or purpose of critical thinking education. What should instructors be aiming at when they seek to instil critical thinking in…

The excessive restrictions on the resignation rights of public university teachers, especially high-level talents, have affected the rights and interests of the legal flow of talent. Whether the employment contract can continue to be performed, whether the service period and the liquidated damages clause violate the provisions of the 'Labour…

This paper defines a university teacher's 'duty to explain' as a way of developing student autonomy. This builds on the idea that in other professions, such as medicine or law, there is a duty of care towards the client to explain the full facts and risks to a patient or client. The university teacher has a similar duty towards the student to…

In this study, one current and three former British Columbia (BC) offshore school principals were interviewed to seek their insights on how they contended with being compelled to censor material and disallow topics of conversation while administering a Canadian curriculum in an international context. Using a research design consistent with an…

Social media companies are increasingly being called to account for how their apps are affecting young people. Robert Kim explores "In re: Social Media Addiction," a lawsuit that combines multiple cases that have been brought against social media companies for their addictive effects. The cases illustrate the tension between product…

Universities in many liberal democracies, such as the US, the UK, or Germany, grapple with a pivotal question: how much room should be given to controversial utterances? On the one side, there are those who advocate for limiting permissible speech on campus to create a safe environment for a diverse student body and counter the mainstreaming of…

Paul Feyerabend was one of the most influential forces that changed the intellectual world in the second half of the 20th century. Based on his intimate knowledge of the history and of the contemporary state of the sciences, his background in philosophy, and his genuine interest in the arts, Feyerabend never missed an opportunity to challenge…

Research libraries are expected to provide and preserve collections in support of their institutions' research and teaching priorities and to support long-term access to cultural, historical, and scientific works. In today's polarized political environment, both libraries and universities have been at the heart of controversy. In this project, the…

This article theorizes Hip Hop as Black liberatory practice by explicating the links between Hip Hop knowledges, pedagogies, and futures. I draw on multiple research and classroom experiences, including co-teaching a course with pioneering Hip Hop artist Chuck D of Public Enemy. The course examined Hip Hop culture as an extension of Black freedom…

This dissertation surveys several landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases of academic freedom in the 20th and 21st century to argue for the value of a tolerant and liberal interpretation of unrestricted academic freedom. Central to its argument is a defense of Oliver Wendell Holmes 1919 ruling in "Abrams" that society is best served where all…

Philosophical arguments regarding academic freedom can sometimes appear removed from the real conflicts playing out in contemporary universities. This paper focusses on a set of issues at the front line of these conflicts, namely, questions regarding sex, gender and gender identity. We document the ways in which the work of academics has been…

K-12 public education is a state responsibility and a federal interest, which means that state lawmakers have the primary responsibility for adopting and revising the laws governing public schools as well as scholarships, education savings accounts, and other private learning options. State officials also have significant authority over the laws…

Self-censorship is widely practiced in university communities, under-discussed though it is. One suggestion for dealing with self-censorship is that universities and professors post rules of conduct designed to facilitate free and open discussion of sensitive topics. Rules are good for solving coordination problems, but self-censorship stems from…

Freedom of speech in universities is currently an issue of widespread concern and debate. Recent empirical findings in the UK shed some light on whether speech is unduly restricted in the university, but it suffers from two limitations. First, the results appear contradictory. Some studies show that the issue of free speech is overblown by media…