Grand Canyon Times

Dr. Owen Anderson, professor at Arizona State University (ASU), joined the Grand Canyon Times Podcast to discuss free speech and inquiry on Arizona college campuses. 

This episode is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Anderson is a professor in the ASU School of Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies. He has been with ASU for twenty one years, and previously was a fellow at Princeton University, a visiting scholar at Princeton Seminary, and a fellow at the University of Colorado, Boulder. 

A pastor at Historic Christian Church of Phoenix, Anderson has authored several books, including "Job: A Philosophical Commentary,” "The Declaration of Independence and God,” and "The Natural Moral Law" (2013). 

He has a Ph.D. in philosophy from ASU, as well as masters degrees in both religious studies and philosophy from ASU. Anderson also graduated Magna Cum Laude with undergraduate degrees from ASU. 

Following is a summary of this episode: 

• Free Speech Advocacy: Anderson discusses his commitment to promoting free speech and inquiry on campus, particularly in response to what he perceives as restrictive diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. 

• Critique of Curriculum "Decolonization": He criticizes efforts to "decolonize" the curriculum at ASU, arguing that these efforts are rooted in Marxist ideology and go beyond addressing historical issues of colonization, potentially limiting academic freedom. 

• ASU Faculty Protests of Conservative Speakers: Anderson addresses incidents at ASU involving conservative speakers Dennis Prager and Charlie Kirk, who were labeled as “white supremacists” or “hate mongers” by some faculty and students, a characterization Anderson disputes. 

• Role of Professors and Academic Freedom: Anderson emphasizes the importance of exploring a diversity of ideas in a secular university setting and expresses concern about the marginalization of certain viewpoints, including his own, in the academic environment. 

• Challenges to Free Speech in Academia: The discussion highlights broader issues related to free speech and academic freedom in higher education, reflecting on the challenges faced by faculty and students in navigating ideological diversity and expression on university campuses.