Fear of Conflict in the Heartland with Howard Gillman

Academic Freedom and Freedom of Speech can lead to discomfort on college campuses. Resulting calls for civility and politeness can, intentionally or otherwise, chill disagreeable speech. We will focus on this tension, discuss questions of (in)civility and power, and consider how to foster disagreement and conflict even in contexts where “Kansas Nice” holds sway.

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The Mellon Foundation awarded KU a grant for a two-year Sawyer Seminar series running from February 2026 through October 2027, examining how academic freedom and democracy are understood, practiced, and challenged at public universities in the Midwest.

Titled "Navigating Academic Freedom & Democracy on a Public University Campus in America’s Heartland," the John E. Sawyer Seminar convenes KU faculty, researchers, and community members for sustained discussion of higher education’s role in democratic life. The series is led by Giselle Anatol with co-principal investigators Nicole Hodges Persley, Christopher Koliba, Randall Fuller, and William Duncan, and is presented in collaboration among the Hall Center for the Humanities, the Center for Democratic Governance, the Kansas Data Consortium within the Institute for Policy & Social Research, and the Provost's Office of Community Impact.

Seminar sessions are open to the public and will be held at the Hall Center.

For more information on the John E. Sawyer Seminar Series at KU, please email sawyerseminar@ku.edu.