Why universities sometimes limit free speech

+ modern lunar missions US Edition - Today's top story: Why university presidents find it hard to punish advocating genocide − college free speech codes are both more and less protective than the First Amendment [View in browser]( US Edition | 12 December 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [How to make package delivery faster, cheaper]( - [Giving gifts is an ancient part of being human]( - [Kenya celebrates its birthday in song]( Lead story Under aggressive questioning from GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik during a congressional hearing last week on campus antisemitism, the presidents of Harvard, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania each gave cautious and legalistic answers in response to the question: Would their universities consider it bullying and harassment if someone called for the genocide of Jews? We asked scholar Lynn Greenky, a First Amendment expert, to look beyond the uproar over the presidents’ answers to the principles of free speech and how they may differ from – and conflict with – private universities’ speech codes. “[The primary purpose of schools is to educate](,” Greenky writes. “Colleges and universities are governed by codes of conduct that support and carry out that objective.” And while “private colleges and universities can and often do attempt to recreate the broad boundaries of protected speech provided by the First Amendment, those boundaries can legally be narrowed by their educational mission.” But balancing free speech with the desire to create a safe environment for learning can create a conflict, writes Greenky, one that’s often resolved at universities by limiting speech. And deciding which speech is OK and which isn’t can undermine democratic principles and can also get you into trouble – as the college presidents discovered. [ [Sign up for our weekly Global Economy & Business newsletter, with interesting perspectives from experts around the world](. ] Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy Today's newsletter supported by [readers like you]( Harvard President Claudine Gay, University of Pennsylvania then-President Elizabeth Magill and MIT President Sally Kornbluth testify before Congress on Dec. 5, 2023. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images [Why university presidents find it hard to punish advocating genocide − college free speech codes are both more and less protective than the First Amendment]( Lynn Greenky, Syracuse University University codes of conduct support their mission to educate. But it’s not easy to balance those codes with the values of free speech, as the resignation of a prominent university president shows. Politics + Society - [Israel-Hamas war may not restore Israelis’ support for military reserves]( Arie Perliger, UMass Lowell Israel’s decision to mobilize hundreds of thousands of reserve soldiers was not just an act of self-defense, a scholar writes, but a political move as well. - [Israelis and Palestinians warring over a homeland is far from unique]( Monica Duffy Toft, Tufts University Conflicts over the Alsace-Lorraine region and Northern Ireland offer examples of how territory is often at the center of a conflict − and what is necessary to pave the path to peace. Ethics + Religion - [Before he was House speaker, Mike Johnson represented a creationist museum in court. Here’s what that episode reveals about his politics]( William Trollinger, University of Dayton A scholar of American evangelicalism explains House Speaker Mike Johnson’s connections with Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum. - [Was King Herod the Great really so ‘great’? What history says about the bad guy of the Christmas story]( Aaron Gale, West Virginia University Historians know a fair bit about Herod the Great, the king of Judea at the time of Jesus’ birth. Economy + Business - [Could UPS and FedEx get holiday packages to their destinations faster? This research suggests yes]( Toyin Clottey, Wayne State University Rethinking seasonal workers’ roles would help parcel delivery companies save time and money − and boost morale, too. Science + Technology - [What’s the point of giving gifts? An anthropologist explains this ancient part of being human]( Chip Colwell, University of Colorado Denver Presents are about giving, receiving and reciprocating, and how this cycle strengthens relationships. - [Customizing mRNA is easy, and that’s what makes it the next frontier for personalized medicine − a molecular biologist explains]( Angie Hilliker, University of Richmond From COVID-19 vaccines to cancer treatments and beyond, the flexibility of mRNA-based therapies gives them the potential to prevent and treat many types of diseases. - [Scientists and space agencies are shooting for the Moon – 5 essential reads on modern lunar missions]( Mary Magnuson, The Conversation Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing on the Moon made 2023 a big year for lunar exploration, and future years will come with even more discoveries. Podcast 🎙️ - [Kenya at 60: the patriotic choral music used to present one version of history – podcast]( Gemma Ware, The Conversation As Kenya marks 60 years of independence, we explore how much one song can tell you about the politics of a new nation. Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast. Trending on site - [Government and nonprofit workers are getting billions in student loan debt canceled through a public service program]( - [Why do people have wisdom teeth?]( - [Hamas’ use of sexual violence is an all-too-common part of modern war – but not in all conflicts]( Today's graphic 📈 [The total amount of outstanding student loans debt in the United States has ticked downward – breaking a long-running climb. As of July 1, 2023, Americans owed $1.74 trillion on student loans, down from $1.77 trillion six months earlier as the Biden administration supported several loan forgiveness initiatives.]( From the story, [Government and nonprofit workers are getting billions in student loan debt canceled through a public service program]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? Follow us: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon](• [Post.news]( • [LinkedIn]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](