57: ASU Professor Henry Thomson on Free Speech, Campus Polarization, and the Future of Civil Debate

In this episode of the Grand Canyon Times podcast, host Leyla Gulen speaks with Henry Thomson, Associate Professor at Arizona State University's School of Politics and Global Studies.

Thomson, a political economist and author of Food and Power and Watching the Watchers, discusses the growing polarization on college campuses and the breakdown of open, civil political discourse among students. Drawing from his international academic experience, Thomson compares U.S. polarization to global trends, reflecting on how social media, ideology, and fear of backlash have changed university culture.

In the wake of the killing of activist Charlie Kirk, he explores how universities can foster respectful debate, balance free speech with safety, and help students engage across divides by examining underlying assumptions rather than reacting emotionally.