Censorship & Free Thought in Academia

This episode features an interview with Miriam Thompson, Ph.D.  Miriam is Assistant Teaching Professor at UCSB in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology.  She wrote an essay titled “The Courage to Disagree in Academia”, published in Journal of Free Black Thought.  This essay grabbed Trent and Joel’s attention.

In this discussion, Miriam argues for the need for free expression and facing disagreement in academic settings.  She talks about why she disagrees with the claim that impact matters more than intent.  She also discusses why tenure matters for professors and how she guides her students practically towards challenging their own belief systems.  Joel and Trent ask her about her background, what led her to her perspectives on free speech, and where things are headed in the future with respect to free speech in academia.

Join us for this riveting interview that will make you consider the importance of confronting new ideas in one’s education.