The Opinionated University - by Brian Soucek

About the Book

"Why institutional neutrality is nothing but an illusion. Can a university ever truly be neutral in today's social and political climate? Pushing against the tide of universities increasingly pledging to stay neutral about contentious issues, law professor Brian Soucek argues that their promises are doomed to fail--universities can't help being opinionated. In The Opinionated University, Soucek shows that neutrality is a myth by taking a deep dive into several prominent campus controversies of the day, including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts and restrictions on campus speech and protest. Each issue requires universities to choose a side in what they do, if not also in what they say. In everything from curricular and admissions decisions to their response to outside rankings and their evaluation of faculty, universities express the values at the heart of their mission. Soucek argues that those pushing for neutrality are only preventing universities from standing up for their values, whether in today's current moment of crisis or in periods of political calm. Both timely and deeply engaging, The Opinionated University calls on universities to dispense with neutrality as a governing principle and focus instead on what their mission should be, and who should determine it"--

Book Synopsis

Why institutional neutrality is nothing but an illusion.

Can a university ever truly be neutral in today's social and political climate? Pushing against the tide of universities increasingly pledging to stay neutral about contentious issues, law professor Brian Soucek argues that their promises are doomed to fail--universities can't help being opinionated.

In The Opinionated University, Soucek shows that neutrality is a myth by taking a deep dive into several prominent campus controversies of the day, including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts and restrictions on campus speech and protest. Each issue requires universities to choose a side in what they do, if not also in what they say. In everything from curricular and admissions decisions to their response to outside rankings and their evaluation of faculty, universities express the values at the heart of their mission. Soucek argues that those pushing for neutrality are only preventing universities from standing up for their values, whether in today's current moment of crisis or in periods of political calm.

Both timely and deeply engaging, The Opinionated University calls on universities to dispense with neutrality as a governing principle and focus instead on what their mission should be, and who should determine it.

Review Quotes

"The Opinionated University is, as it ought to be, an unabashedly opinionated book. Soucek is a professor of constitutional law at the University of California-Davis who was trained as a philosopher. It shows: At its core, his book is a logically compelling dismantling of what has become the mantra of American educational leaders--institutional neutrality, a doctrine that essentially means that, when in doubt, a university should voice no opinion at all."

-- "Washington Monthly"

"At a time when an authoritarian federal government is applying enormous pressure to force schools to align with the ideology of the president, Brian Soucek reminds us that the so-called neutrality principle can be a cover for quietism and collaboration. If universities don't defend their values, who will?"--Michael S. Roth, President, Wesleyan University

"In clear and compelling terms, The Opinionated University exposes 'institutional neutrality' as a myth. Brian Soucek argues that any definition of a university's mission--its admission and hiring standards, its curriculum, its rules of conduct for faculty and students, the way it protects or denies free speech and academic freedom--reflects the values of the institution. It is those values that are currently under attack. The book offers a way of understanding the attacks and countering them--not with false declarations of neutrality, but with reasoned critical analysis of the political work such declarations perform."--Joan W. Scott, author of 'Knowledge, Power, and Academic Freedom'

"Soucek addresses today's highly controversial issues of academic freedom, diversity, and inclusion in a readily accessible conversational style. While asserting his own clear point of view, he is undogmatic, balanced, and consistently charitable toward opposing viewpoints."--Paul Brest, former dean and emeritus professor, Stanford Law School

"--Sigal R. Ben-Porath, author of 'Cancel Wars: How Universities Can Foster Free Speech, Promote Inclusion, and Renew Democracy'

About the Author

Brian Soucek is a Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law at the University of California, Davis. A scholar of free speech and equality law, Soucek has shaped national policy on academic freedom, nondiscrimination, and campus speech through his work with the American Association of University Professors' "Committee A" on Academic Freedom and Tenure and the University of California's Academic Senate.