A Conversation with Professor Brian Soucek, Author of ‘The Opinionated University’

Thursday, April 16, 2026

12:00 PM-1:15 PM

Can a university ever truly be neutral in today’s social and political climate? Pushing against the tide of universities increasingly pledging to stay neutral about contentious issues, law professor Brian Soucek argues that their promises are doomed to fail—universities can’t help being opinionated.

In The Opinionated University, Soucek shows that neutrality is a myth by taking a deep dive into several prominent campus controversies of the day, including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts and restrictions on campus speech and protest. Soucek argues that those pushing for neutrality are only preventing universities from standing up for their values, whether in today’s current moment of crisis or in periods of political calm.

Join us for a conversation with Professor Brian Soucek, Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law at UC Davis School of Law, about his new book, The Opinionated University: Academic Freedom, Diversity, and the Myth of Neutrality in American Higher Education. Professor Anil Kalhan, Drexel Kline School of Law will serve as discussant.

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