We found room for both hope and pessimism in a recent free expression survey that the University of Chicago helped develop with The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. One of the most worrying results was that not everyone is seen as having the same freedom to speak their minds on college campuses.

People said conservatives had the least freedom to speak, but they perceived problems of exclusion beyond just one group. Asian people also were seen as having less freedom of expression than other groups, and respondents said campuses did the worst at providing an inclusive environment for conservatives, visiting speakers, Asian people and transgender people.

We see related problems for campus expression as people respond to the tragedies of the Israel-Hamas War. Many students don’t feel free to express their views, and some universities risk chilling discussions on their campuses by taking collective positions, sending the message that there is one “official” stance and other opinions are not welcome.

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