For the Common Good: Principles of American Academic Freedom

by Matthew W. Finkin, Robert C. Post

Debates about academic freedom have become increasingly fierce and frequent. Legislative efforts to regulate American professors proliferate across the nation. Although most American scholars desire to protect academic freedom, they have only a vague and uncertain apprehension of its basic principles and structure. This book offers a concise explanation of the history and meaning of American academic freedom, and it attempts to intervene in contemporary debates by clarifying the fundamental functions and purposes of academic freedom in America. Matthew W. Finkin and Robert C. Post trace how the American conception of academic freedom was first systematically articulated in 1915 by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and how this conception was in subsequent years elaborated and applied by Committee A of the AAUP. The authors discuss the four primary dimensions of academic freedom—research and publication, teaching, intramural speech, and extramural speech. They carefully distinguish academic freedom from the kind of individual free speech right that is created by the First Amendment. The authors strongly argue that academic freedom protects the capacity of faculty to pursue the scholar’s profession according to the standards of that profession.

Genres: Academic

272 pages, Hardcover

First published April 21, 2009

Reviews

[Dono421846 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminds us that the value of academic freedom (and the tenure system that is intended to protect it) is not for the benefit of the individual, or even of the institution, but of society as a whole. That determines whether tenure is something that can be opted out of by groups (like librarians) who don't want to do the extra work it requires. It can't, not without undermining the rationale for the whole edifice of higher education.

[Mike Strong · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this for work. It would not be a usual choice for me. The topic is quite important for anyone who works in higher education, like me, but the writing is very dry. The author's primary emphasis is to demonstrate why academic freedom still matters. The book was published in 2009, and this is important to understand my rating. Nearly every single case used to demonstrate the central thesis derived from prior to 1970. If everything you can cite as evidence is over 30 years old, it's not still relevant. I know it is but this was a huge missed opportunity for the author.

Now...if the goal had been to provide an overview of the theoretical foundations and history of academic freedom in American institutions of higher education, then the author would have hit bank with this.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

soup to nuts, this is the tome on AF to read if you'll only read on.