Journal of Economic Perspectives
ISSN 0895-3309 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7965 (Online)
Trust Violations in Research Universities
Journal of Economic Perspectives
(pp. 53–72)
(Complimentary)
Abstract
By nearly twice as much as in any other institution that Gallup tracks, public trust in research universities has fallen over the past decade. The causes are not only external. This essay examines two violations of trust that originate within the academy: research that is driven by political advocacy, and a professoriate whose range of ideological viewpoints has narrowed, especially in the humanities and social sciences. The first subordinates the pursuit of truth to political aims; the second erodes the diversity of perspectives that checks individual biases and lets research correct itself. Both break faith with the arguments originally advanced for tenure and academic freedom. Restoring trust demands a renewed commitment to disinterested inquiry and the cultivation of intellectual pluralism—objectives, both, that are best adopted voluntarily, without state censor or interference, and promptly.Citation
Howell, William G. 2026. "Trust Violations in Research Universities." Journal of Economic Perspectives 40 (4): 53–72. DOI: 10.1257/jep.20251484Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D72 Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
- I23 Higher Education; Research Institutions
- I28 Education: Government Policy