Free Speech on Campus: Challenges and Consequences

Freddie Sayers interviews renowned physicist and author Lawrence Krauss to explore how culture wars and ideological issues threaten science and his new book The War on Science—an anthology of essays from leading scientific thinkers including Jordan Peterson, Richard Dawkins, and Peter Boghossian, examining how academia and scientific institutions are increasingly under siege from within.

Krauss lays out how “woke” ideology, DEI policies, and campus cancel culture are eroding the foundations of open inquiry, with contributors offering alarming insights from across disciplines—from medicine and biology to physics and philosophy. He discusses high-profile incidents like the recent antisemitism scandals at Harvard, arguing they reflect a broader intellectual crisis gripping universities.

The conversation then shifts to the political backlash, particularly on the American right. With Donald Trump and other conservative figures now sceptical of academia altogether, Krauss raises concerns that the pendulum may be swinging too far the other way—threatening funding, trust in scientific institutions, and the space for real reform.

From ideological capture in the lecture hall to political overreach in Washington, Krauss and Sayers dissect what’s driving this war on science, why it matters, and what’s at stake if both sides keep escalating.

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