New Orleans professor wins grant to fight for free speech

A New Orleans professor was recently awarded a $45,000 grant to support activities focusing on freedom of speech, especially at U.S. colleges and universities.

Chrs Surprenant, an associate professor of philosophy at the University of New Orleans, is also founding director of the Alexis de Tocqueville Project, an academic research, public policy and educational programming center at the university that investigates the history of Western political and moral thought.

“This topic is especially timely given recent political developments and ongoing discussions on college campuses relating to free speech, safe spaces and the aim of universities,” Surprenant said.

The grant comes from the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University. It will be used to support several scholarly events, including a university panel discussion later this month with Thomas Cushman, a professor of sociology at Wellesley College, and Peter Wood, president of the National Association of Scholars.