Democracy and the Politics of American Higher Education
Democracy and the Politics of American Higher Education gathers faculty, administrators, and members of the public to reflect on how the university should respond to ongoing threats towards democratic values and principles. We critically examine the current political debates surrounding higher education to identify areas for intervention. We also embrace a view of the university as a place where different ideas come together, and we seek to promote democracy on our campuses while remaining non-partisan and engaging a diverse range of viewpoints.
Democracy and the Politics of American Higher Education believes that the university has a responsibility to defend the fundamental tenets of liberal democracy in the face of attacks – whether election denialism or legislative attempts to limit what can be taught within its classrooms.
Furthermore, we intend to uphold the value of the university as an institution and its contributions to society during a time of increasing antipathy towards higher education, media and U.S. institutions more generally. This does not mean shying away from criticism from stakeholders across the political spectrum, but engaging with these criticisms, thereby moving away from the polarized views dominating the current discourse.
Liberal democracy and higher education are interdependent. Higher education cannot pursue the creation of knowledge and the education of our students without the academic freedom ensured by a democratic system, and democracy needs critics who are able to respond to the political debates of the current moment from the perspectives of academic disciplines—from biology to sociology, from history to cultural studies. If democracy is the body in which all American institutions must function, higher education is one of its vital organs.
Director
Eric Mlyn is a Distinguished Faculty Fellow at the Kenan Institute for Ethics and Lecturer at Duke’s Sanford School for Public Policy, and the Director of KIE’s Democracy and Higher Education project. Prior to joining KIE, he was the founding Executive Director of DukeEngage and also served as the Assistant Vice Provost for Civic Engagement. Before that, he was the founding director of the Robertson Scholars Program and served on the Political Science Faculty of UNC-Chapel Hill. Mlyn also chairs Duke’s Global Travel Advisory Committee. His intellectual interests focus on the role of higher education in fostering democracy and working with undergraduates to foster political and civic engagement. He holds a BA in Political Science from Tufts University and a PHD in Political Science from the University of Minnesota. During the fall of 2019 he was a senior fellow at the Tisch College for Civic Life at Tufts. He is the Co-Editor with Amanda Moore McBride of the book Connecting Social Innovation and Civic Engagement: Toward Higher Education’s Democratic Promise (2020).
Featured Work
January 2025: Democracy and the Politics of American Higher Education organized a webinar – Leaders Defending American Higher Education. Panelists included Dr. Michael Gavin, president of Delta College; Dr. Patricia A. McGuire, president of Trinity Washington University; and Dr. Michael S. Roth, president of Wesleyan University. These college and university presidents discussed their approach to leadership at a time when American higher education is under threat and what college and university leaders should contribute to the broader action needed to protect American higher education. Watch the recording here.
The Democracy and the Politics of American Higher Education project hosts regular conferences as well as other gatherings.
2024-5
Democracy and the Politics of American Higher Education organized a conference in collaboration with The George Washington University Law School that took place in Washington, DC, on June 24 and 25, 2024, titled “The Federal Government and the Politics of American Higher Education.” Bringing together academics, policymakers, and politicians from across the political spectrum, the conference addressed topics such as academic freedom and the mission of the university as well as the federal government’s role in higher education and the right’s plans for 2025. See the conference program here.
2023-4
Democracy and the Politics of American Higher Education organized a conference on December 1 and 2, 2023, titled “Americans Politics and State Higher Education.” Panels addressed the following topics: case studies in the politics of higher education from the University of North Carolina and University of Wisconsin systems, as well as The New College of Florida; academic freedom at public universities; the role of state governments in the governance of public universities; and freedom of expression for students across the political spectrum. See the conference program here.
In spring 2023, we hosted a conversation series at Duke amongst colleagues to engage respectful and honest conversations about some of the most contentious and difficult issues faced by higher education at this time of democratic peril and extreme political polarization.
2022-3
In fall 2022 we held a roundtable conversation with Michael S. Roth, president of Wesleyan University, on the role of university leadership in national and campus politics.
This project has its origins in a conference on Democracy and American Higher Education held in the spring of 2022. See the conference program here.
Democracy and the Politics of American Higher Education hosts regular webinars and talks as well.
2024-5
March 2025 – Conservatism, Higher Education, and Trumpism. Watch the recording here.
January 2025 – Leaders Defending American Higher Education. Watch the recording here.
October 2024 – When Universities are the “Enemy”: Academic Freedom, Institutional Autonomy, and the Future of American Higher Education. Watch the recording here.
2023-4
October 2023 – Threats to Higher Education: The Conservative Assault on Public Higher Education. Watch the recording here.
Past
In April 2023, we held our first webinar on Threats to Higher Education in Florida. Watch the recording here.
Director Eric Mlyn has been featured in several panel discussions as well. He spoke on a panel hosted by Duke’s Office for Faculty Advancement on Navigating Sensitive Topics in Your Teaching and Research Spaces in December 2023.
Eric Mlyn also spoke on a panel on Censorship in Medical Education & The Humanities in April 2023.
Eric Mlyn delivered a talk in March 2023 on Navigating the Politics of Higher Education as a special guest of the NC Campus Engagement Presidents Forum.
National Faculty Organizations
American Association of University Professors (AAUP)
Defending academic freedom, shared governance, and higher education as a public good.
The AAUP, founded in 1915, has been at the forefront of defending academic principles for over a century. In the current political climate, it has become a central organizing force against what it characterizes as an unprecedented assault on higher education’s autonomy.
Website: AAUP.org
Resources: AAUP Resources for Political Attacks on Higher Education
Legal Actions: Faculty Unions Sue Trump Administration
American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
Fighting for a better life for all through access to affordable and accessible higher education.
The AFT represents more than 1.7 million members nationwide, including a significant number of higher education faculty and staff. In recent years, the organization has intensified its focus on defending academic freedom and combating political interference in higher education. This includes forming a landmark affiliation with AAUP in 2022, joining forces to create an alliance representing more than 300,000 faculty members across the country.
Website: AFT.org
Resources: AFT Resources
AAUP-AFT Affiliation Announcement: Historic Affiliation Press Release
National Education Association (NEA)
Advancing the cause of public education across all levels.
With 3 million members working at every level of education, the NEA is America’s largest professional employee organization and a powerful voice in educational policy. While often associated with K-12 education, NEA has a significant higher education membership and has taken a leading role in defending colleges and universities from political interference.
Website: NEA.org
Resources: NEA Higher Ed Resources
NEA-ACLU Lawsuit Announcement: NEA and ACLU Sue U.S. Department of Education
Project 2025 Analysis: Project 2025 and Higher Education
Legal Defense Coalitions
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
The ACLU has emerged as a critical defender of academic freedom and campus speech rights in the face of increased government interference in higher education.
Website: ACLU.org
Letter to Universities: ACLU Sends Letter of Support to Universities
Lawyers for Good Government – Fund Protection Clinic
A specialized legal initiative focused on protecting higher education funding and academic autonomy.
Website: lawyersforgoodgovernment.org
Resources: Fund Protection Clinic
Researcher Support Consortium
An interdisciplinary coalition focused on supporting academics who become targets of political pressure or harassment.
Resources: Available through the AAUP Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)
A nonpartisan organization dedicated to defending free speech, freedom of association, due process, legal equality, religious liberty, and sanctity of conscience on campus.
Website: thefire.org
Statement on President Trump’s Funding Threat: FIRE Statement on Funding Cuts for ‘Illegal Protests’
Resources: FIRE’s Newsdesk
Movements
Coalition for Action in Higher Ed (CAHE)
A grassroots alliance of academic organizations formed specifically to mount a coordinated response to the current political attacks on higher education.
Website: dayofactionforhighered.org
Resources: CAHE Resources Page and Day of Action (April 17) Toolkit
Event Information: April 17: A Day of Action
We Are Higher Ed
A coalition of educators and allies driven by the belief that a democracy is only as strong as its commitments to academic freedom, intellectual integrity, human diversity and individual dignity.
Website: wearehighered.org
Resources: Document and Resources Library and Student Visa Revocations Tracker
Labor for Higher Education
An alliance of labor unions and advocacy organizations focused specifically on the working conditions and rights of higher education employees across all job categories.
Website: labor4highered.org
Coalition Information: See AAUP
Additional Coalitions
The Debt Collective: A membership-based union for debtors working toward cancellation of student debt and publicly funded college. Their campaigns connect student debt issues to broader attacks on higher education funding and access, highlighting how increased privatization drives student indebtedness.
Scholars for a New Deal in Higher Education: A network of academics advocating for structural reforms to address the crisis in higher education, including sustainable funding models, equitable access, and governance reforms that protect academic freedom and shared governance.
Middle East Studies Association: A scholarly association that has taken a leading role in defending academic freedom in Middle East studies programs, particularly in response to federal scrutiny and funding threats to area studies programs as documented in the Duke-UNC case.
Jewish Voice for Peace: An organization of Jewish scholars, students, and community members supporting Palestinian rights and academic freedom, countering claims that criticism of Israeli policies is inherently antisemitic. JVP has been active in supporting faculty and students facing repercussions for speech related to Palestine.
Faculty & Staff for Justice in Palestine Network: A national network of faculty organizing against restrictions on speech and study about Palestine and providing support for academics facing discipline or harassment for their political speech related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The network connects local campus chapters for coordinated action and resource sharing.
Political Strategy
- Ezekiel J. Emanuel and Julian E. Zelizer, “Trump’s Atrocious War on Higher Ed Demands an Aggressive Response,” The New Republic, March 2025
- AAUP report by Isaac Kamola, “Manufacturing Backlash: Right-Wing Think Tanks and Legislative Attacks on Higher Education, 2021–2023,” May 2024
- D. Vance speech, “The Universities are the Enemy,” November 2021
- Garrett Shanley, “A Firestorm Against the AAUP: What’s the best way to defend academic freedom?” The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 2024
- PEN America report, “Educational Gag Orders,” November 2021
- Steven Brint, “The Political Machine Behind the War on Academic Freedom,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, August 2023
- Steven Brint, “Trump and His Allies Are Preparing to Overhaul Higher Education,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 2024
- “What Will Trump’s Second Victory Mean for Higher Ed?” The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 2024
Viewpoint Diversity
- Heterodox Academy guide, “Reclaiming the Culture of Higher Education: A Best Practices Guide,” September 2022
- Short entries, “The Professoriate’s Politics Problem: Conservatives are rare in academe. Does it matter?” The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 2024
- Steven M. Teles, “Why Are There So Few Conservative Professors?” The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 2024
Rankings and Ratings
- College Pulse and FIRE, “2025 College Free Speech Rankings”
- John K. Wilson, “Why the College Free Speech Rankings Are Worthless,” Academe Blog, October 2020
- Ryan D. Enos, “Harvard Last in Free Speech? Don’t Trust FIRE’s Rankings,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, February 2024
- The Heritage Foundation college ratings, “Choose College with Confidence”
Free Speech and Academic Freedom
- PEN America, “Campus Free Speech Guide”
- Louis Menand, “Academic Freedom Under Fire,” The New Yorker, April 2024
- Joan Scott, “On Free Speech and Academic Freedom,” AAUP Journal of Academic Freedom, Volume 8, 2017
Leadership and The Question of Institutional Neutrality
- Bob Moser, “Hopes and Fears: Higher Ed Leaders Sound Off on Trump’s Return to Power,” Inside Higher Education, January 2025
- Adrienne Lu, “The Apolitical University,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 2022
- Harvard University statement, “Report on Institutional Voice in the University,” May 2024
- Holden Thorpe, “The Charade of Political Neutrality,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 2022
- Michael Roth, “The Campus Protests Over Gaza Are All Part of a Good Education,” The New Republic, September 2024
- Michael Roth, “I’m a College President, and I Hope My Campus Is Even More Political This Year,” The New York Times, September 2024
- PEN America initiative, “Champions of Higher Education”
Mapping, Tracking, and Archiving
- Historians for Peace and Democracy archive, “The Culture Wars Against Education,” December 2023
- PEN America tracker, “Index of Educational Gag Orders”
- The Chronicle of Higher Education trackers, “The Assault on DEI”
The project on Democracy and the Politics of American Higher Education previously hosted a newsletter. Past editions are available:
“Plans for 2025,” April 2024
“What’s going on with higher ed?” March 2024
“Now More than Ever: A Newsletter that Explores Democracy and American Higher Education,” October 2023