Academic Freedom, the University, and Public Accountability

Abstract

Academic freedom is sometimes defined as the essence of university autonomy, but these are two different concepts. One is the freedom of the university as an institution, which is most frequently understood as the (relative) independence of the university from the state and economic powers like corporations, and the other is the freedom of the university professor, his freedom to research, teach, and publish. In this context, professors’ academic freedom is seen in close relation to the search for truth. However, such an understanding of academic freedom is now under challenge from postmodernist, relativist, and other critics. In addition, in the last three or four decades, both academic freedom and autonomy of universities have been considerably diminished in many countries because of the implementation of neoliberal politics whose consequences have been the increased demands for administrative control and accountability of universities.