Let this Radicalize Us

Abstract

The more things change, the more they stay the same. While many have been working at the intersection of intellectual freedom and social justice for great lengths of time, it is newer to others. And for those who are new, they enter this work at a time when there is increasing contention around issues related to both intellectual freedom and social justice. Whether we’re dealing with the hyper fixation on notions neutrality, book bans, or systemic racism and whiteness in society and in the profession, there is a great need for this important work, and for these topics to work in tandem, instead of using intellectual freedom arguments to further disenfranchise marginalized groups. As a result, it may appear that intellectual freedom and social justice do not work together, but they are indeed not mutually exclusive. We need to give more care and consideration to how they do work together, and how they can work together in even better and more cohesive ways.