Nationalism Course Podcast

The Department for Education has announced tougher legal measures in order to, as it claims, to strengthen free speech and academic freedom at universities in England. Under the plans, the Education Secretary would appoint a new Free Speech and Academic Freedom Champion to investigate potential infringements, such as no-platforming speakers or dismissal of academics, and higher education providers would be legally required to actively promote free speech. The new Champion would be appointed to the board of the Office for Students and would be able to investigate potential infringements of the new registration condition on freedom of speech and academic freedom in higher education. The registration condition would work alongside strengthened legal duties on free speech and academic freedom and the Champion would also be able to recommend that the Office for Students imposes fines. But, will this work? Is it desirable or even necessary? What is the nature and scope to the threats to free speech and academic