Honouring the History of Academic Freedom: An Investigation into the Evolution of the Canadian and American Definitions of Academic Freedom. AIR 2002 Forum Paper.

The purpose of this research paper is to look at the definition of academic freedom and how it has evolved over time. Canada's definition of academic freedom grew out of the influences of Britain, Germany, and the United States. The paper begins with a historic look at these three sources. It then focuses on the Canadian definition of academic freedom in relation to Canadian history. Important academic freedom cases are described, and their influences on the definition of academic freedom are discussed. An overview of current trends, including tenure, unions, political correctness, private funding, and accountability mandates, threatening academic freedom are discussed. History has revealed that the concept of academic freedom has been modified and refined as it journeyed through each generation. Each generation has fought for different pieces of the academic freedom puzzle, from religious freedom, to political freedom, to cultural freedom, and it is only by looking back over history one can finally understand what academic freedom truly defends. The fight for academic freedom has been waged so that all academics could enjoy freedom to pursue their research and teaching free from public sanctions. (Contains 34 references.) (Author/SLD)