Academic Freedom, Community-Engagement, and Contemporary Challenges to the Academy

Public and Community-engaged research and teaching often engages directly with
pressing social challenges and collaborates with differently situated stakeholders.
Historically, scholars and administrators have debated the merits of these kinds of
approaches but have tended to see community engagement as a valuable component
of academia. However, as social and political pressures continue to intensify, some
scholars who do engaged and public work (and the community partners with whom they
work) find themselves under increased scrutiny. Many of the offices and funding
agencies that have supported this kind of outreach have also found themselves forced
to rebrand their missions or shut down entirely. This workshop brings together
representatives from the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom with other
faculty and researchers to consider ongoing challenges to academic freedom in light of
these social and political developments. The workshop will provide insights and
resources that may be useful for scholars who conduct engaged and public work, and
will explore how faculty may effectively continue this work given changing social and