Cancel wars : how universities can foster free speech, promote inclusion, and renew democracy / Sigal R. Ben-Porath.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ben-Porath, Sigal R., 1967- author.

Contributor:

James Hosmer Penniman Book Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Academic freedom--United States.

Academic freedom.

Freedom of speech--United States.

Freedom of speech.

Education, Higher--Political aspects--United States.

Education, Higher.

Democracy--United States.

Democracy.

Polarization (Social sciences)--United States.

Polarization (Social sciences).

Politics and culture--United States--History--21st century.

Politics and culture.

Education, Higher--Political aspects.

United States.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

198 pages ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2023.

Summary:

"An even-handed exploration of the polarized state of campus politics that suggests ways for schools and universities to encourage discourse across difference. College campuses have become flashpoints of the current culture war and, consequently, much ink has been spilled over the relationship between universities and the cultivation or coddling of young American minds. Philosopher Sigal R. Ben-Porath takes head-on arguments that infantilize students who speak out against violent and racist discourse on campus or rehash interpretations of the First Amendment. Ben-Porath sets out to demonstrate the role of the university in American society and, specifically, how it can model free speech in ways that promote democratic ideals. In Cancel Wars, she argues that the escalating struggles over "cancel culture," "safe spaces," and free speech on campus are a manifestation of broader democratic erosion in the United States. At the same time, she takes a nuanced approach to the legitimate claims of harm put forward by those who are targeted by hate speech. Ben-Porath's focus on the boundaries of acceptable speech (and on the disproportional impact that hate speech has on marginalized groups) sheds light on the responsibility of institutions to respond to extreme speech in ways that proactively establish conversations across difference. Establishing these conversations has profound implications for political discourse beyond the boundaries of collegiate institutions. If we can draw on the truth, expertise, and reliable sources of information that are within the work of academic institutions, we might harness the shared construction of knowledge that takes place at schools, colleges, and universities against truth decay. Of interest to teachers and school leaders, this book shows that by expanding and disseminating knowledge, universities can help rekindle the civic trust that is necessary for revitalizing democracy."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: 1. A Polarized Democracy

2. Scientific Truth, Partisan Facts, and Knowledge We Can Share

3. Do I Belong Here? Inclusion and Harm

4. Freedom of Speech and Habits of Democracy in K-12 Schools

5. Campus Speech and Democratic Renewal.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the James Hosmer Penniman Book Fund.

ISBN:

9780226823782

0226823784

9780226823805

0226823806

OCLC:

1304399694

Publisher Number:

99992710683