“Tyrants Hate Truth”: Austin Sarat on the New War Against Academic Freedom

Welcome to Academic Freedom on Life Support, hosted by Joshua Scheer. In this episode, we speak with Austin Sarat, the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science at Amherst College, and one of the first contributors to our project examining the nationwide crisis facing higher education. Sarat argues that “academic freedom in the United States is facing the greatest sustained attack in more than three quarters of a century” —a moment he compares to the height of McCarthyism.

Drawing on two of his recent pieces for ScheerPost, Sarat breaks down how the Trump administration’s campaign against expertise, its efforts to discipline universities, and the rise of students acting as ideological informants have created a climate of fear, confusion, and self‑censorship on campuses. He explains the crucial distinction between free speech and academic freedom, why open inquiry requires courage, and how the very mission of the university is being tested.

This conversation is part of our ongoing effort to document what’s being lost—and what’s worth fighting for—as academic freedom comes under unprecedented pressure.