John Day is Professor of Old Testament Studies in the University of Oxford, and Fellow & Tutor of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. He has written or edited numerous books and articles, and in 2014 is President of the Society for Old Testament Study.
This book is extremely well written and includes an excellent index... A must-read for anyone concerned about freedom of academic inquiry. Choice [This book] offers a vivid, updated history of America's culture wars into the early 2000s, a real blow by blow account of the struggles over free speech and related issues; all from the perspective of a professor of political science, law, and journalism who was personally involved as a leader of a free speech movement of students and faculty at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. In this respect the book goes well beyond a theoretical exposition into an actual political narrative by a participant of the way mobilization was used to restore liberties that had been lost through the use of such policies as speech codes and anti-harassment codes. Canadian Journal of Sociology Online An important contribution to the never-ending real-world struggles to maintain free speech on campus. Should be read by anyone interested in the status of higher education, the fate of constitutional citizenship, [and] the politics of civil liberty. Nadine Strossen, President, American Civil Liberties Union At the very core of all our rights and liberties is the First Amendment. One of the places it has been most endangered is the American college and university campus. The story of how Donald Downs restored it so vibrantly against considerable odds is downright inspiring and, I hope, infectious. Nat Hentoff, Author and Columnist, The Village Voice Puts coercive political correctness under the microscope as no previous book has done, and discovers not only why it is virulent but how to make antibodies. Real intellectual diversity-and thus the American university itself-has no better friend, anywhere, than Donald Downs. Jonathan Rauch, Columnist, Atlantic Monthly Restoring Free Speech and Liberty on Campus, the product of considerable scholarship, is unequivocal in the positions it holds. Most of all, it is thought provoking and challenging. Agreement with all of Down's conclusions is neither important nor necessary, but this book needs to be read, discussed, and debated and, as a profession we need to be mindful of his perspective. It is a book that should find its way on the reading lists of those who in any way are engaged in the political, cultural, and social issues that so often frame campus life. Journal of College Student Development