Cancel culture: Heterodox self-censorship or the curious case of the dog which didn’t bark

Abstract

There is widespread concern that academic freedom is threatened by growing demands for intellectual conformity and attempted censorship from intolerant zealots. Student protests over the Israeli–Hamas conflict have intensified fierce debates about freedom of expression on campuses. This study seeks to understand the nature and scope of contemporary threats to academic freedom of expression worldwide, especially the role of self-censorship in this process. The first part unpacks the notion of a ‘cancel culture’ in academia. The research explores processes of self-censorship where scholars are unwilling to express their authentic views in public. Mechanisms theorized as potentially driving these processes include heterodox status (cultural minorities out of step with orthodox views); institutions (constitutional principles, laws, and regulations used by the authorities to govern academic speech); culture (attitudes towards free speech); and academic status (inequalities in academic power and security linked with gender and age). To examine these mechanisms, the second part sets out the research design. It draws upon survey data from the second World of Political Science survey (WPS-2023), monitoring the background and attitudes of almost 2000 political scientists living and working in around 100 countries worldwide. The third part analyzes the results, confirming the reluctance of heterodox scholars to challenge majority views. The conclusion in the fourth part summarizes the findings, considers their broader implications, and discusses the next steps in the research agenda.