Academic Freedom, Free Assembly, Free Speech

In an age of rising autocracy, there is a widespread view that basic democratic communicative freedoms are under threat. Moreover, some of these freedoms—particularly free speech—are increasingly “weaponized” for political agendas that might ultimately reduce liberty. Existing First Amendment jurisprudence in the U.S. has often dominated discussions, yet it has not always strengthened democracy and self-expression. Against this background, we aim to revisit the normative foundations of communicative freedoms, examining whether these freedoms are best understood as individual or institutional and how they are, or are not, plausibly connected. This workshop will enhance ongoing transatlantic collaboration by bringing together scholars from both sides of the Atlantic to foster a unique exchange of ideas.

This workshop will be held under the auspices of the Academic Freedom Initiative at Princeton and the Princeton-Humboldt cooperation on “Constitutionalism Under Stress (CONSTRESS)”. Launched in 2016, CONSTRESS is an interdisciplinary project bringing together political scientists, political philosophers, sociologists and law from both sides of the Atlantic.