Call For Papers (CFP):
The 2025 GMDA Conference on Academic Freedom/Unfreedom in the United States
Proposals are submitted through Easychair. For best results, sign into EasyChair before clicking submit.
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The Global Media and Democracy Association (GMDA) invites submission of proposals for paper presentations, panel sessions, roundtables, seminars, workshops/interactive sessions, posters/exhibits, or seminars for the GMDA 2025 annual conference on Academic Freedom/Unfreedom in the United States, which will be held, in person, in Chicago, October 2-5, 2025. Proposals on all topics relevant to academic freedom—its core principles, its protection in various contexts, and the challenges it faces—will be considered, with priority given to those that engage this year’s theme, Academic Unfreedom and the End of the University. Topics include, but are not limited to:
- University autonomy and authoritarianism in the United States.
- Academic Freedom Under Trump 1.0 and 2.0.
- Case Studies related to academic freedom or university autonomy.
- Academic freedom and the right to education.
- Academic freedom vs. other concepts like freedom of speech, intellectual freedom, and freedom of expression.
- Challenges to Academic Freedom:
- Government or political influence on academic institutions, including curriculum control, research restrictions, and appointments.
- Academic work, Censorship and Self-Censorship
- Ideological Pressures on Academic Freedom
- Funding and Research Agendas
- Threats to University Autonomy
- Free Speech on Campus
- Academic Freedom and Social Justice:
- Protection, Advocacy and the role of university policies, faculty senates, and academic governance structures in protecting academic freedom.
- Legal protections for academic freedom and the role of courts in upholding these rights.
- Coalition Building and Advocacy
- Strategies for Addressing Violations of academic freedom, including reporting mechanisms, legal support, and public advocacy
- Conflicts between freedom of expression and academic freedom in the university space.
- The impact of major information and technology corporations on academic freedom.
- Responding to sexual and/or gender-based violence and sexual harassment within the university space.
- Participation of students and/or student unions or organizations in the promotion of academic freedom or university autonomy.
- Diversity and governance in higher education institutions.
Conference Submission Formats
We accept proposals in all formats. We strongly encourage the submission of pre-constituted sessions. All sessions run for 90 minutes. Our conference submission formats are pretty flexible and are intended to encourage the presentation and sharing of all kinds of projects and from different professional and disciplinary locations. In addition to the formats listed above, we are open to new formats. If you have any questions about the CFP or the formats, please email us at: contact@igmdc.org
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SUBMISSION AND REGISTRATION
● Friday, July 18, 2025: Submission System Open
● Friday, July 18, 2025 until Friday, August 29, 2025: Early Bird Registration
● Friday, October 1, 2025: Final Deadline for Submissions
● Friday, July 25, 2025: Notifications will start being sent out
● Friday, August 29, 2025: Early Registration Ends, Regular Registration Rate Begins
● Friday, October 1, 2025: Last day to register to participate in the conference.
Register for Conference and Become a Member Today!
Past Conferences
