Viewpoint Diversity at Princeton

By Amaney Jamal and Keren Yarhi-Milo
New York Times

The conflict in Israel and Palestine has thrown American campuses and society into turmoil.

We are both deans of public policy schools. One of us comes from a Palestinian family displaced by war. The other served in Israeli military intelligence before a long career in academia. Our life stories converged when we were colleagues and friends for 10 years on the faculty of Princeton University. Notwithstanding our different backgrounds, we are both alarmed by the climate on campuses and the polarizing and dehumanizing language visible throughout society.

By Khoa Sands ‘26
Princetonians for Free Speech

Excerpt: The rights of free expression enshrined in the First Amendment are often considered the most foundational freedoms in American society. However, while free expression in the public sphere is constitutionally guaranteed, free expression within private universities is not similarly protected. Academic freedom cannot be properly understood as a mere extension of the First Amendment. Rather, academic freedom is justified by the unique mission of the university: the pursuit of truth.

Alexandra Orbuch
Princeton Tory

Excerpt: Over the past two weeks, I have had a lot of conversations with classmates, friends, and other Princetonians. In a heartwarming show of support, many of my non-Jewish friends reached out to let me know that they have been thinking of and praying for me, my family, and my people. Over 400 people gathered together for an Israel vigil to honor the memory of those who perished at the hands of Hamas and to express support for the State of Israel just last Thursday.

Despite the immense light brought to Princeton and its Jewish community by students like these, there has also been darkness. Some classmates I spoke to refused to condemn Hamas and attempted to persuade me that if I were Palestinian, I would understand that Hamas’ actions could be justified in pursuit of liberation.

Julie Bonette
Princeton Alumni Weekly

Editor’s note: Yale Law School’s gain of Professor Whittington, a leading champion of and scholar of free speech and academic freedom, is Princeton’s loss.

Excerpt: After more than 25 years on Princeton’s faculty, politics professor Keith Whittington announced Oct. 16 that he will be leaving Princeton to join Yale University next fall as a professor of law and director of a new free speech and academic freedom center.

“I think in this particular moment in time, really trying to fully understand and defend academic freedom principles is terribly important, certainly to the university community, but I think to the country more generally, and I’m optimistic we can do some exciting things there,” Whittington told PAW.

Julie Bonette
Princeton Alumni Weekly

Fifteen academics convened by Princeton’s James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions are going beyond the well-known “Chicago Principles” in protecting free speech on college campuses by creating their own “Princeton Principles.”

Christopher L. Eisgruber
Oct. 10, 2023

Even in a world wearied and torn by violence and hatred, Hamas’s murder and kidnapping of hundreds of Israelis over the past weekend is among the most atrocious of terrorist acts.  This cruel and inhumane attack has provoked a bloody war that has already claimed the lives of thousands of Palestinians and Israelis and will tragically take many more as it continues.

Princeton is a community that embraces many Israelis and Palestinians among its cherished members, as students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Even more have friends or relatives directly experiencing this awful violence.  The nightmare underway in Israel and in the Palestinian territories is being deeply felt on this campus.  That pain will inevitably continue in the months ahead.  My heart goes out to everyone personally affected.