Heterodox Conversations
Heterodox Conversations pair two scholarly experts with divergent viewpoints on a topic to showcase the power of academic dialogue and constructive disagreement in the shared pursuit of knowledge.
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What Are Heterodox Conversations?
Heterodox Conversations™️, currently offered exclusively to our Campus Chapter Network, are grounded on a simple premise: two scholars in different disciplines, with different methodologies, and different perspectives can engage in a productive and insightful conversation about a shared topic or question. These signature events:
- demonstrate how viewpoint diversity and constructive disagreement strengthen critical inquiry into complex topics;
- model of The HxA Way;
- showcase a style of academic conversation distinct from competitive debates or one-sided lectures; and
- spark intellectual curiosity and continued growth toward critical and independent thinking.
Rather than debating positions, our curated speaker pairs showcase the process of academic inquiry – how evidence, analysis, and reasoning lead to particular conclusions and perspectives. Heterodox Conversations™️ highlight discovery and thoughtful exchange, not winners and losers.
Explore upcoming Heterodox Conversations™ and other HxA events across the Campus Chapter Network.
Previous Events
Heterodox Conversations have been hosted across the U.S. and Canada, engaging campuses in thoughtful dialogue. In June 2025, a Heterodox Conversation was also featured on the main stage at our HxA Conference in New York City.
Intervention or Interference: The Role of Legislation in Reforming the Academy
In this Heterodox Conversation™, Mark Baurlein and Steven Brint discuss reforms, state interventions, and challenges facing American universities. Drawing from their extensive academic backgrounds, they explore critical questions about institutional governance, academic freedom, and the evolving role of universities in contemporary society.
Energy and the Environment: What's the Future?
What does the future of energy and the environment look like—and can we talk about it across ideological divides? In this Heterodox Conversation™ at Louisiana State University, economist Matt Burgess (University of Wyoming) and climate scientist Andrew Dessler (Texas A&M) come together to discuss the challenges and trade-offs in shaping energy policy for a changing world.
Hosted by Heterodox Academy, and co-sponsored by BridgeUSA and the Eric Voegelin Institute, this event highlights what’s possible when we prioritize viewpoint diversity and open inquiry on campus.
How Does EDI Relate to Merit?
The Wilfrid Laurier University Campus Chapter hosted Eric Kaufmann, Professor of Politics at The University of Buckingham and Director of the Centre for Heterodox Social Science, and Paolo Gaudiano, Adjunct Associate Professor at New York University Stern School of Business to discuss the relation of EDI and merit.
The Cultural Power of Symbols, Art and Pedagogy
The Laval University Campus Chapter hosted Alexandre Roccuzzo, Lecteur de l'Ecole d'Art de Riom, Ville de Riom, and Haywon Forgione, Cultural Mediator, Point Parole Beaux-Arts & CI, Région de Paris, to discuss the cultural power of symbols, art, and pedagogy.
What is the Proper Role of EDI in Canadian Universities?
The McGill University Campus Chapter hosted, Azim Shariff, Professor of Psychology, University of British Columbia, and Sophia Moreau, Professor of Law and Philosophy, University of Toronto, to discuss EDI in Canadian universities. This event was part of the HxCanada annual conference and had over 130 people in attendance.
Who Needs Safe Spaces and Trigger Warnings?
The SUNY-Cortland Campus Chapter hosted a Heterodox Conversation between two academics, Drs. Nafees Alam and Dylan Selterman, with differing views on the topics of safe spaces and trigger warnings in the higher ed context. Their conversation models the HxA Way of transforming disagreement into a constructive tool for generating knowledge and seeking truth.