Introduction
As the editors of this issue note in the editorial, censorship is harmful, but it rarely works for very long. While this may be true, one form of censorship may be considered as more long lasting, pernicious, and opaque. The force, normalcy, and potential harm of self-censorship have … 
higher education
broadening and deepening epistemic communities in response to university censorship
Introduction
University faculty and students returned to campuses in 2025 under new state legislation and federal executive orders that restrict what professors may teach and how students engage in political life on campuses in the United States. These constraints are widespread; by mid year, …
censorship amid academic ‘excellence’: internalised, targeted, and performative
Much of my knowledge about censorship in education has been gathered through involuntary participant observation. I have been immersed in multiple situations of being silenced by power. As a researcher of freedom of expression and its limits, I might even consider my recurring role as a censorship …
not up for debate? no-platforming and the censorship of ‘tipping’ issues
Introduction
No-platforming generally refers to the practice of preventing, or attempting to prevent, an individual (or organisation) from using a platform to speak.[1. It is important to distinguish between efforts to cancel a speech and the act of protest itself. Not all acts of protest aim to …
activism on academic campuses: a critical reflection
In contemporary discourse, the role of young people in shaping social and political landscapes has become increasingly pivotal. Across the Global North countries, a significant transformation is underway as liberal democracies find themselves tested by a surge in support for right-wing political …
the pursuit of knowledge in a democracy: academic freedom and activism
As I write in the spring of 2025, we are in the midst of a crisis in the United States. The crisis is economic, social, political, and legal. One dimension of this crisis is the attack on higher education by the Trump administration. To date, this attack has included:
cuts to funding for existing …
the radical right and the university: reclaiming value neutrality in higher education
In its policy booklet on reforming education in France, Marine Le Pen’s party Rassemblement National (RN) (2022) emphasised the necessity of “strengthening the requirement for absolute neutrality of members of the teaching staff in political, ideological and religious matters vis-à-vis the students …
the black professoriate: assessing the landscape within British higher education
Introduction
The paucity of Black higher education professors within the United Kingdom (UK) illuminates the systemic inequity of the higher education system within Britain. This pandemic continues to blight the sector within a UK context and raises legitimate concerns for the next generation of …
harnessing technology for cultural transformation: a case study from South Africa
Cultural transformation – an introduction
Over the last decade or so, there have been increasing calls from students in different parts of the world for the transformation of higher education. These increasingly diverse student bodies are demanding a change in the culture of higher education, …