ABSTRACT
American colleges and universities are no strangers to controversies over academic freedom, originating from all over the political spectrum. However, in recent years, academic institutions around the country have found themselves targeted by externally organized and well-funded right-wing efforts to reshape what gets taught in the classroom, the training and orientations students and faculty receive, the content of job posts, and even which faculty are hired and fired. These attacks on academic freedom are not isolated to specific campuses nor spontaneous, but rather part of a broader political strategy pushed by Republican governors and state legislatures—often in heavily gerrymandered states—who, along with their wealthy donors, have targeted academic freedom for political and partisan gain.
