
The Bias against Conservatism in Higher Education | Amy Wax
From Brain in a Vat by Brain in a Vat
March 9, 2026 · 1h 9m
About this episode
Amy Wax discusses the ideological bias against conservatism in higher education and her experiences at the University of Pennsylvania.
Amy Wax joins us to discuss the ideological landscape of higher education. Wax reflects on her conflict with the University of Pennsylvania and argues that universities have become increasingly hostile to conservative viewpoints. The conversation explores ideological bias on campus, academic freedom, and the challenges conservatives face within modern higher education. [00:00] Welcome to the Discussion [00:23] Amy Wax and Penn Suspension [07:01] Lawsuit and Double Standards [15:01] Speech Versus Action Rules [25:33] Why Academia Stays One Sided [35:29] Classroom Power Imbalance [40:14] Public Private Speech Rules [44:18] Feminization And Wokeness [50:58] Facts Versus Ideology [53:47] COVID And Contested Facts [58:06] Race IQ And Censorship [01:02:06] Equity Meritocracy Clash [01:08:27] Closing Comments
People in this episode
Host: Brain in a Vat
Guest: Amy Wax
Topics covered
- higher education
- conservatism
- ideological bias
- academic freedom
- free speech
- censorship
Keywords
- conservatism
- higher education
- academic freedom
- ideological bias
- free speech
- censorship
- University of Pennsylvania
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of Pennsylvania
More episodes of Brain in a Vat
- Can Torture Be Justified? | Stephen Kershnar · May 17, 2026 · 59 min
- A World Without Scarcity | Steven Kotler · May 6, 2026 · 60 min
- Living with Adversity | David Benatar · May 6, 2026 · 55 min
- Risky Storytelling | Kevin Allison · May 6, 2026 · 1h 4m
- Free Speech, Hate Speech, and Mental Health | Chloe Carmichael · March 22, 2026 · 1h 2m
- The Nature of the Sexes | Tomás Bogardus (with Stephen Kershnar) · February 22, 2026 · 1h 5m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Brain in a Vat podcast page.