New survey explores free speech on college campuses

"College classes are a place for students to feel uncomfortable and grapple with difficult concepts in the world. Students need the opportunity to correct one another and have hard and sometimes offensive conversations with one another."

—Natalie, a conservative and a senior at a private school on the West Coast

"[Cancel culture] is just a shift in general culture. Ideas that were once deemed as normal are simply now being confronted and questioned."

—Eduardo, a liberal and freshman at a public community college on the West Coast

A recent poll by the Pew Research Center showed 64% of Republicans believe that colleges have a negative impact on the country, while 76% of Democrats believe they have a positive impact.

Among the top reasons for the Republicans’ negative perception is the belief that “colleges and universities are politicized and favor liberal views,” according to a new survey published by the Constructive Dialogue Institute and More in Common. These organizations work across differences to build inclusive cultures, including at universities.

According to the organizations' survey, 40% of students who identify as "very liberal" said they take offense to perspectives shared by peers or classmates personally when in the classroom in contrast to 20% of students who identify as "very conservative."

A recent survey by the Knight Free Expression Research Series showed that 84% of college students recognize the importance of free speech on campus, yet half of them felt uncomfortable disagreeing with their professors or peers, according to The Washington Post.

To take it a step further in the fight for free speech on campus, student journalists at the high school and college levels have encountered increasing threats regarding censorship, funding, anti-press sentiment, and online harassment in recent years, according to the Columbia Journalism Review.

‍Read the Constructive Dialogue Institute Report

Let's Find Common Ground: Bridging Divides on College Campuses

College students Clare Ashcraft, who comes from a conservative background, and Jackson Richter, who calls himself a committed liberal, are active members of BridgeUSA, a national movement of students who are working to emphasize the importance of empathy, understanding and ideological diversity.

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This is Jessie Nguyen, The Democracy Group's Community Manager. Here are some of my favorite podcasts this week, check them out!

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This episode was recommended by our founder Jenna Spinelle, and I honestly found it super interesting! It explores the possibility of an independent candidate winning the presidential seat in 2024 through the points of view of swing voters. The episode also looks at the failures of historically well-known independent candidates like Teddy Roosevelt or George Wallace. With last week’s chaotic Republican debate and as the public trust and approval rating for Biden continues to plummet, I found this much-needed episode extremely refreshing.

Politics in Question: Where do busy people find the time to participate in democratic self-government?

I’ve had many chances to talk with politically involved students, recent graduates, and professors and they all have one thing in common — time management, which I think is much easier said than done. This episode not only hones on the skill but also explores how to juggle multiple commitments with being an active citizen through a fascinating conversation with Kevin Elliott, the author of Democracy for Busy People. The episode was practical and applicable, especially for college students.

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