3 Academics ‘Cancelled’ for Dissenting Views, Warn Intellectual Freedom Still at Risk

Despite strong legal protections for academic freedom, universities are finding ways to sack staff whose views don’t accord with their own, they say.

(L to R) James Nuzzo, Peter Ridd, and Fiona Girkin—Australian academics who claim to have fallen victim to "cancel culture." Courtesy of Australians for Science and Freedom

Three academics who claim they lost their jobs because of their views on controversial topics have warned that Australian universities are “cancelling” teaching and research staff whose views don’t align with the prevailing ideology, rather than encouraging academic freedom and debate.

James L. Nuzzo, Peter Ridd, and Fiona Girkin told their stories at the recent “Progress through Science and Freedom” conference in Sydney.