What happens when universities trade free expression for global partnerships and financial gain? Join Heterodox Academy (HxA) for a conversation with Sarah McLaughlin, Senior Scholar, Global Expression at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) about her new book, Authoritarians in the Academy: How the Internationalization of Higher Education and Borderless Censorship Threaten Free Speech, that sheds light on how foreign authoritarian regimes are reshaping American academia, leading to censorship, self-silencing, and the erosion of core academic values.

Moderated by Nicole Barbaro, Director of Communications, Marketing, and Events at HxA and creator of Bookmarked Reads on Substack, this virtual pop-up event will explore core themes of McLaughlin’s book, including:

• How authoritarian regimes pressure U.S. universities through funding and partnerships
• The chilling effect on faculty speech and classroom discourse
• The silencing of international student voices
• What higher education leaders must consider as they navigate global engagement

This 60 minute webinar will preview key insights from the book and include time for audience Q&A and discussion. Register now to secure your spot!

Authoritarians in the Academy is available now for pre-order and will be published on August 19, 2025.