Making Sense with Sam Harris - Subscriber Content #431 - What Is Happening on College Campuses?
Aug 25, 2025
Michael Roth, President of Wesleyan University and an intellectual historian, dives into pressing issues in higher education. They discuss the balance between free speech and the need for order during campus protests. Roth emphasizes the importance of diversifying viewpoints and addressing the complexities of antisemitism and political dialogue on campuses. He reflects on government influence in education and the disconnect elites have with broader society. Finally, Roth explores how education can promote civic renewal and the role of AI in shaping a new learning landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Authoritarian Threat From The Federal Government
- Michael Roth argues the current threat to universities is federal authoritarianism, not left-wing illiberalism.
- He worries colleagues are reluctant to defend long-standing academic freedoms against government pressure.
Vocationalism, Not Marxism, Dominates Campuses
- Roth says claims of a far-left ideological capture of universities are vastly overblown.
- He identifies vocationalism and careerism, not neo-Marxism, as the real danger on campus.
Faculty Viewpoint Narrowing Is Real
- Roth highlights a shrinking ideological diversity among faculty as a serious problem.
- He warns fewer moderates and conservatives enter graduate programs in humanities and social sciences.
