One of the biggest anxieties at the heart of the public debate about freedom of speech is that free expression is being denied in our universities. As the head of an Oxford college, what I see in practice doesn’t match this description. Thousands of events and debates take place every year. Indeed a recent survey found that nine out of 10 students felt free to express their opinions and beliefs. Yet some issues have become so contentious that discussion about them is polarised and difficult.
Anxieties that academic freedom is being limited — or silenced — must be addressed. The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech Bill) is now law (though I wasn’t a huge fan of the draft bill) and will mean greater regulation and scrutiny of activities at universities.
As long as competing views are lawfully expressed, we should hear them. Nor do I support calls for events to be cancelled or certain views to be silenced. A recent example was Kathleen Stock’s visit to the Oxford Union. Gender-critical views should be heard and it’s positive that the event went ahead even if there were protesters outside. Let’s not forget that freedom of expression also allows peaceful protest.
As long as competing views are lawfully expressed, we should hear them
Yet giving a platform to only one side of any contested issue is far from ideal — especially if we also aim to promote dialogue and seek to resolve complex conflicts of rights. Greater regulation will not on its own fix things. Universities need practical approaches to help overcome potential anxieties about engaging confidently in difficult conversations.
At Oxford we have been working together to develop guidance to help us discuss difficult topics; practical proposals to be agreed in advance by the speakers and the chair to ensure discussion and debate actually takes place. At the moment, fear about engaging in very difficult discussions is actually preventing dialogue and reinforcing division. We will test our approach during the course of this autumn.
By trialling this approach we hope to re-build greater confidence in the value of dialogue and the importance of discussing difficult and contentious subjects. We also hope to begin to address the complex competing — and very personal — issues that society faces and ensure that all views are heard.
