Universities Serve Democracy Through Disagreement, Access, and Self-Governance
Princeton president and constitutional law scholar Christopher Eisgruber argues that American universities are being judged too often by their most visible conflicts rather than by their central work: teaching students to argue, learn and govern themselves under academic norms. In an Aspen Ideas Festival conversation with Daniel Porterfield, Eisgruber defends universities as democratic institutions that advance free speech and equality together, broaden access to talent, and require autonomy from political, donor and administrative pressure. His case is not that universities avoid failure, but that their value lies in disciplined disagreement, principled self-governance and opportunity widened beyond traditional pipelines.
The Aspen Institute·Jun 27, 2026·18 min read
