The Oyster Club

The Oyster Club explores the complexities of free speech, academic freedom, and liberal values, particularly in educational contexts. It delves into issues like censorship, the impact of administrative actions on free expression, the evolution of societal norms, and the role of universities in fostering a culture of open inquiry.

Free Speech and Censorship Academic Freedom Liberal Values Campus Culture and Administration Societal Norms and Changes Political Influence on Education Diversity and Inclusivity Role of Universities in Society Social Media and Communication Artificial Intelligence

The hottest Substack posts of The Oyster Club

And their main takeaways

Two Cheers and One Worry about Campus Free Speech

39 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🚌 Education Academic Freedom Conflict resolution
  1. Students generally feel comfortable expressing their opinions in class and believe faculty encourage viewpoint diversity.
  2. However, a majority of students, regardless of political leaning, support reporting professors for making offensive statements.
  3. The increase in university administrative offices and emphasis on safety may contribute to students seeking authority to handle conflicts, impacting free speech and academic freedom.

Are Concerns about Campus Illiberalism Just Another Moral Panic?

0 implied HN points • 10 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics
  1. Dr. Niehaus' research challenges the perception of college students as censorious and highlights their nuanced views on free speech.
  2. The study emphasizes the historical exclusion of perspectives in campus discourse and how current anxieties reflect power shifts within society.
  3. The narrative around campus free speech issues needs to be carefully framed to avoid playing into the hands of authoritarian agendas.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Just Say No.

0 implied HN points • 10 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Academic Freedom Free speech Censorship
  1. Universities should prioritize academic freedom, even if politicians disagree with some content.
  2. Political interference with academic work can have chilling effects on research and critical discussions.
  3. Faculty at public universities should be allowed independence in their research and teaching, free from excessive political influence.

What I'm reading this week

0 implied HN points • 07 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics DEI AI Social media Free speech Libertarianism
  1. The article discusses the UCLA controversy, highlighting issues with ideological rigidity, the importance of nuance, and the chilling effect of campus authoritarianism.
  2. The piece on AI hype and doomerism delves into the extremes of utopianism and apocalypticism, suggesting that AI is just another tool, not the end of now.
  3. The analysis of Twitter and context collapse explains how misunderstandings, in-jokes, and differing contexts can lead to conflicts, bias, and assumptions on social media.