The Right to Academic Freedom in the American Association of University Professors’ Declaration of Principles on Academic Freedom (1915)

Authors

  • Raúl Madrid Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4013/rechtd.2017.93.02

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the concept, traits and limits of the “academic freedom”notion, as it is formulated in the American Association of University Professors’(AAUP) 1915 Declaration. The significance of this definition lies in the vast influenceit has had not only in the American doctrine, but also in the shaping of academicfreedom in contemporary debate (20th and 21st centuries). The paper critically analyzesthe thesis proposed by the authors of the 1915 Declaration, according to whichacademic freedom can only be appropriately protected in “public” universities, thatis to say, those supported by the State, since they would be free and (apparently) notbonded to a previous declaration of principles. The conclusion proposed is that thisconception of academic freedom is heir of just one specific methodological idea ofuniversity, being, therefore, problematic to pose it as a general canon.

Keywords: academic freedom, university, denominational universities, American Associationof University Professors (AAUP).

Author Biography

Raúl Madrid, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

DOCTOR EN DERECHO POR LA UNIVERSIDAD DE NAVARRA. MAGISTER EN FILOSOFIA POR LA UNIVERSIDAD DE NAVARRA. MAGISTER EN DERECHO CONSTITUCIONAL POR LA PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE. PROFESOR TITULAR ORDINARIO DE LAS FACULTADES DE DERECHO Y FILOSOFIA DE LA PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE. DIRECTOR DEL PROGRAMA DE DERECHO, CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGIA DE LA MISMA UNIVERSIDAD.

Published

2017-09-07