Realpolitik of Academic Freedom

Abstract

This chapter explores the academic freedom aspects of the case of Steven Salaita and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (U.I.U.C.). After presenting the facts of the case, a sketch of the legal issues is provided. The chapter then outlines some elements of the history of academic freedom relative to extramural political speech, adding some remarks on what the Salaita case teaches us when seen through a realpolitik view of academic freedom. From this perspective, the success of claims to academic freedom depends on the force of individual legal actions and collective faculty pressure that are brought to bear against administrators and trustees. This chapter concludes with some speculations as to changes the Salaita case might bring to current practices of university administration relative to faculty extramural speech.