Free Speech and Diversity

The relationship between free speech and diversity has emerged as a topic of interest for legal and social science scholars, particularly regarding U.S. higher education. A contested focal point within the discourse of free speech and diversity is the use of campus speech codes. Speech codes are administrative policies that define forms of verbal and symbolic expression deemed to be discriminatory, hurtful, or assaultive; such forms also are commonly defined as “hate speech.” These codes range from condemning harassing speech to explicit prohibition of speech perceived as potentially offensive. The following entry provides a brief history of speech codes and their relationship to diversity, while outlining the major arguments for and against the regulation of speech at U.S. colleges and universities.