Academia finds itself at a critical juncture, navigating internal debates over the lack of intellectual diversity and too much in the thrall of prevailing orthodoxies, while simultaneously facing unprecedented external pressures from political forces intent on reshaping higher education. How can institutions uphold their mission of truth-seeking and open inquiry amidst such formidable challenges?

Today, senior editor Berny Belvedere sits down with distinguished journalist Cathy Young, who recently covered the Heterodox Academy’s annual conference for The Bulwark. Together, they examine how internal criticisms of “woke” excesses and progressive orthodoxy intersect with the Trump administration’s aggressive assault on academic freedom and civil society. They explore the critical question of whether focusing on internal academic illiberalism inadvertently aligns with broader authoritarian aims, and what it means for a heterodox movement to truly champion intellectual diversity against threats from both the left and the right.

We hope you enjoy.

Thanks for checking out The UnPopulist! Subscribe for free to support our project.

© The UnPopulist, 2025

Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Get full access to The UnPopulist at www.theunpopulist.net/subscribe