Stronger As One

Stronger As One

Stronger As One

Stronger As One

Protecting the Expression of Truth. Defending the Freedom of Thought.

The Academic Freedom Alliance (AFA) is a not-for-profit organization whose members are inspired by the principles of thought, inquiry, and expression. We are dedicated to protecting the rights of faculty members at colleges and universities to express, instruct, and publish without fear of sanction, bullying, punishment or persecution. We exist as an alliance of scholars dedicated to upholding the principles, values and virtues that are required to fulfill their vocation as truth-seekers and to encourage colleges and universities to be faithful to their mission as truth-seeking institutions.

An Attack on Academic Freedom Anywhere is an Attack on Academic Freedom Everywhere.

The AFA unites academics together in declared solidarity with moral and financial support for promoting intellectual freedom, by:

  • Providing financial support for legal costs should constitutional or contractual rights be violated by the institutions or officials of institutions where they serve
  • Deterring victimization of faculty members by protecting against isolation or besiegement
  • Defending the rights of freedom of thought and expression as well as their right to privacy – especially email communications
  • Supporting the right to conduct research, within established ethical bounds
  • Protecting the ability to design courses and conduct classes as they judge best
  • Challenging required indoctrination, ideological loyalty pledges, and professions of faith (beyond contractual obligations)
  • Opposing intellectual conformism, the politicization of curriculum, and anything antithetical to truth-seeking
“It’s never been more important to protect and preserve our freedom to open the minds and hearts of students and society. I joined the AFA to unite with others in doing just that.”
– John Mason, Senior Fellow, Cornell University

Academic Freedom – In The News

8/23/20 | Chipping Away at Academic Freedom

by Keith Whittington, the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Politics at Princeton University

College campuses find themselves in a battle over the scope of free inquiry and debate. Its resolution is far from clear, but its implications will likely extend far beyond the ivory tower. The stakes are high. If universities turn against intellectual freedom, we will not only lose much of the good that universities can contribute to American society and to the world more broadly; we will also strengthen the forces working to weaken protections for free speech under the First Amendment. Read More>

The AFA Blog

9/10/20 | Welcome to the AFA Blog

Our blog is intended to keep members and prospective members up to date on the progress of our organization as defenders of academic freedom. We will post information relevant to our organization’s mission, while reporting on issues faced by our members while promoting  opportunities to unite. We encourage you to subscribe to our blog and to share the information presented with your colleagues so that they can better understand the high level of support and advocacy provided by the Academic Freedom Alliance.

Learn More About the American Freedom Alliance

No one, at any academic institution, should fear suppression or retaliation for speaking out publicly in any form! We encourage you to join the movement in supporting the flourishing of intellectual life and the pursuit of knowledge and truth at institutions of higher learning.