Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
US Embassy in Syria: Barrack and Abdi discussed practical steps toward integration into a unified Syria and agreed that the time for unity has come
US Embassy in Syria: US Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack met today with the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi
US Embassy in Syria: Barrack-Abdi meeting discussed the current situation in Syria and the need to take urgent steps to restore stability
Al-Hijri: We call on the guarantor states of the ceasefire agreement to fulfill their pledges to halt this attack and impose direct international protection for the Druze of Syria
Al-Hijri: It is unfortunate and shameful that the other party is not abiding by the ceasefire and that the hostile gangs continue to commit shameful crimes
Spiritual Leadership of the Druze Unitarian community, headed by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri: We call on the guarantors of the ceasefire in Sweida to shoulder their responsibilities
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: One was killed in the raid carried out by an Israeli drone on a motorcycle in the town of Yohmor al-Shaqif
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 62 martyrs killed by IOF in Gaza since morning, including 32 aid seekers.
Reuters: More than 20 injured in Los Angeles, including four critically, after a car rammed into a crowd
NNA: A civilian was killed in a drone strike while fixing plumbing on a rooftop in Matal al-Jabal, on the outskirts of al-Khiam

Harvard ranked worst US university for free speech

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News Websites
  • 6 Sep 2023 15:30
4 Min Read

One Harvard student stated that "expressing certain political views is something that is simply not done."

  • x
  • Harvard ranked worst US university for free speech
    A tour group walks through the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusets on August 30, 2012. (AP)

Harvard University has been named America's worst college for free speech, with an "abysmal" attitude toward free expression.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has released its annual rankings of US institutions based on how freely students feel they may express themselves. Harvard, a Massachusetts-based Ivy League college, is at the bottom of the list of 248 schools. Harvard’s score of 0.00 is the lowest possible on FIRE’s scale, though the real figure is “more than six standard deviations below the average”.

Read more: Harvard prof. who studies honesty accused of falsifying results

The research surveyed over 50,000 undergraduate students throughout the country, and its rating methodology was based on elements such as "comfort expressing ideas," "tolerance for speakers," and "administrative support." Colleges were also graded based on how frequently and harshly they penalized students, scholars, and guest speakers.

Harvard students were quoted expressing "hesitation to share controversial opinions for fear that people would jump on me”, in addition to a “general feeling that expressing certain political views is something that is simply not done”.

Related News

US envoy meets SDF leader to advance Syria's unification

Man suspected in LA car ramming that injured 30 in custody

Since 2019, FIRE documented nine deplatforming initiatives at Harvard, including feminist philosopher Devin Buckley, who was denied admission to a college last year due to her perceived views on transgender people.

The former director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), Kenneth Roth, revealed in an interview with Al Mayadeen in January how he was refused a fellowship in human rights at Harvard University because of his criticism of "Israel."

Roth further revealed to Al Mayadeen that what happened to him was not a first, as there had been several instances where an academic who criticized "Israel" was punished. Roth warned that the danger lies in the fact that new academics may see what transpired and may become afraid of directing any criticism towards "Israel" for fear of punishment.

The Ivy League college was chosen as the second-best university in the world and best in North America by the Times Higher Education this year.

Since its inception in 2003, the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) has placed Harvard as the top worldwide university every year. The renowned Ivy League group of eight colleges has routinely underperformed on the FIRE scale, with Columbia University holding the table last year. This year, Brown University was the best performing of the eight Ivies, ranking 69th, with Princeton ranking 187th.

Harvard's stance on free expression has worsened in recent years, with the university's FIRE score falling from 55.5 in 2021-22 to 34.5 last year and now to the lowest possible count. Nonetheless, there are internal attempts ongoing to address the company's intolerant culture. Over 100 academic members joined Harvard's Council for Academic Freedom in April, chaired by cognitive scientist and author Steven Pinker. The organization has committed to preserving open debate on campus and to helping colleagues who have been attacked for their intellectual work.

In their mission statement, the council proclaimed that " In some institutions, the threat to academic freedom is from an illiberal left that wants to shrink the boundaries of acceptable discussion. At others, it is from right-wing politicians who want a single version of history taught as orthodoxy […] When activists are shouting into an administrator’s ear, we will speak calmly but vigorously into the other one, which will require them to take the reasoned rather than the easy way out. "

  • Harvard
  • Freedom of Speech
  • United States
  • Harvard University

Most Read

Algerian nurse stabbed in Germany

Murder of Algerian nurse in Germany sparks outcry, demands for justice

  • Europe
  • 14 Jul 2025
Credible reports, including some from Israeli media itself, indicate that Tel Aviv had pinned its hopes on what can only be described as a delusional plan. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Jebraily: Iran strikes rewrote regional deterrence rules - Exclusive

  • MENA
  • 15 Jul 2025
Al-Qassam Brigades fighters confront Israeli soldiers in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

3 Israeli soldiers killed amid Gaza battles: Israeli media

  • Palestine
  • 14 Jul 2025
Donald Trump, the Corporate Aristocracy and the Israelization of the World

Donald Trump, the Corporate Aristocracy and the Israelization of the World

  • Opinion
  • 15 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Senator: Israeli plan for US support to displace Palestinians ‘sick'
Politics

Dem. Senator slams Israeli push for Gaza expulsion as 'sickening'

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa, center, and other clergymen gather at the Church of St. George Al Khidr on Monday, days after an arson attack at the site reportedly by Israeli settlers. (AFP - Getty Images)
Politics

Christians under Israeli settler fire in Jesus native Palestinian soil

Smoke from Israeli airstrikes on the northern Gaza Strip, on Friday, July 18, 2025. (AP)
Politics

650 days of Israeli war: 125,000 tons of bombs; 2,613 families effaced

Gaza Health Ministry: Starved Palestinians face imminent death
Politics

Gaza MoH issues warning: Starved Palestinians face imminent death

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS