Academic Freedom and Authoritarianism

This book explores the challenges to academic freedom posed by authoritarianism, populism and illiberalism. Privatisation, funding cuts and the establishment of sham institutions are just some of the tools used by authoritarian governments to exert pressure on scholars and their institutions. It addresses these challenges and presents an interdisciplinary view of the decline of academic freedom in Hungary. Using a comparative constitutional law approach, it contrasts these developments with key case studies from around the world, including the United States, Israel, Australia, Latin America and Southeast Asia. The book offers an in-depth analysis of the dramatic situation of academic institutions in Hungary. It focuses on the interrelationship between the European Union and Hungary as well as on the financial and institutional mechanisms used to suppress academics. Recent international developments show how the Hungarian example has influenced other governments, particularly in the United States. Institutional and individual challenges to academic freedom are evident worldwide, as reflected with international comparative examples in the book. The constitutional comparison provides recommendations on ways to promote resilience.