Amid rising tensions between U.S. universities and the government, scholars are revisiting historical conflicts to glean insights, particularly drawing parallels to the McCarthy era of the 1950s. A recent panel at Harvard highlighted global examples of government interference in academia, focusing on the evolution of the University of Berlin as a model of academic freedom. Experts emphasized the importance of these discussions within the context of democratic principles and the fundamental role that universities play in society. The dialogue reflects concerns over the implications of current policy trends on academic environments.
The history starts in the heart of Berlin, began Kirby, author of "Empire of Ideas: Creating the Modern University from Germany to America to China" (2022). The University of Berlin, founded in 1810, was the world's premier research university... It pioneered the concept of academic freedom for students and faculty.
"Little did we know then how important this issue would become to the very institution in which we are meeting today," said moderator Sven Beckert, Laird Bell Professor of History.
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