The Chris Hedges Report Inside America's Academic Gulags (w/ Rashid Khalidi) | The Chris Hedges Report
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Oct 9, 2025 
Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said Professor Emeritus at Columbia University and author of The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine, joins to discuss the alarming decline of academic freedom in U.S. universities. He reveals how professors now fear teaching sensitive topics on Israel and Palestine due to threats of disciplinary action. Khalidi expresses concern over federal funding pressures and the influence of off-campus groups shaping campus narratives. He emphasizes the broader authoritarian agenda and the critical role universities play in preserving democratic dissent.
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Anticipatory Obedience By Universities
- Universities adopted restrictions before federal pressure, showing anticipatory obedience by administrations.
- Rashid Khalidi says internal donors and trustees pushed these measures alongside outside demands.
IHRA's Chilling Effect On Scholarship
- The IHRA definition conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism and chills legitimate scholarship.
- Khalidi argues this definition was designed to prevent criticism of Israel, not primarily to combat right-wing antisemitism.
See Campus Moves As Part Of Larger Threat
- Recognize the university measures are part of a broader authoritarian package targeting media, immigration, and law.
- Resist normalizing these controls because they erode constitutional barriers and free speech rights.
