EDUC 290S, JAM 390S, PUBPOL 290S | Instructor: Sue Wasiolek | Codes: EI, IJ
Many college students, faculty, and staff have expressed their concern and actual outrage at the fact that their schools have invited/allowed controversial speakers to visit their campuses. Needless to say, hearing offensive, rude and sometimes hateful speech can be challenging–especially for a college student, trying to focus on academic work and co-curricular activities.
Meanwhile, many colleges and universities have justified these visits, pointing to how these opportunities contribute to a landscape of a free exchange of ideas while preparing students for the “real world” to come after college. Other schools have committed to creating safe spaces on their campuses where faculty, students, and staff can expect to be protected from microaggressions, receive trigger warnings, and not have to be subjected to “inflammatory” speakers.
In this course, students will review the history and philosophy of the free speech component of the 1st Amendment and examine the way in which the US Supreme Court has ruled over the years in free speech cases. Students will then have the opportunity to fully consider the various approaches campuses have recently taken to dealing with free speech issues, including controversial speakers. Finally, students will be asked to represent a particular side of a free speech case, writing and presenting an appellate argument to the “Court.”
Recent Semesters
2026 Spring Term