Donald Trump’s actions represent an existential threat to the university as we know it.
But why? What is it about the modern American university that is so upsetting to a famously insecure leader? Why has he fixated on this out of all possible targets?
We just talked with Wesleyan University’s president, Michael Roth, an outspoken defender of student free speech and Trump critic, and 1,300 of you. He spoke of:
How universities are a culture-making, opinion-shaping power center, which Trump, like all authoritarians, fears
How they facilitate social progress by helping students pick up ideas and perspectives that sever them from the prejudices of their families and hometowns, and why that threatens the right’s larger political project
Why the kidnappings of Mahmoud Kahlil and Rümeysa Öztürk and others are so chilling, and part of an attempt to turn university leaders into collaborators
How the chilling effects of Trump’s cuts and abductions are already shifting the behavior of students and professors
Why the Trump regime’s anti-antisemitism exploits genuine anxieties as a cudgel against his enemies, and how it has made Jews in America not more but less safe
How academia came to hold too much influence over the political left and the Democratic Party in particular, and the need to go beyond the jargon and wonkiness and elitist inclusionspeak that keep many Americans at bay
And why, even though Roth is afraid, he’s committed to speaking up — because that is the only way to find out if you’re wrong, and the only way to stay free
You won’t want to miss this one, so just click on the video player above.
Our live shows are open to all. Afterward, to access the full video of this interview and the transcript, become a paying subscriber.
Your support is how we keep the lights on, pay our staff a fair wage, and build the new media we all deserve. When you subscribe, you help us reach more people.
Join us today, or if you are already a member, give a gift or group subscription.
Join us for more Live conversations this week!
Tomorrow, Wednesday, July 9, at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, we’ll meet with The Ink Book Club. Then on Thursday, July 10, at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, we’ll talk with messaging guru Anat Shenker-Osorio.
To join and watch, download the Substack app (click on the button below) and turn on notifications — you’ll get an alert once we’re live, and you can watch, chat, and even participate in the conversation during our Book Club meetings from your iOS or Android mobile device. If you’re using a computer, you can also watch (and ask questions in the text chat) on our homepage.
Listen to this episode with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The.Ink to listen to this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
