Academic Freedom And 9/11: How The War On Terrorism Threatens Free Speech On Campus

College and university faculty members who have spoken out against U.S. foreign policy, particularly after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, have been reprimanded, disciplined, harassed and, in one case, threatened with dismissal from a tenured position. This article explores the legal and philosophical roots of academic freedom, as well as the origins of tenure as a basis for protecting the rights of faculty members to investigate and speak freely on controversial issues. The authors examine several cases involving faculty members who criticized the U.S. government's military and foreign policy after 9/11, and the consequences they suffered. Finally, they assess the climate for academic freedom in the twenty-first century.