Authors such as George Orwell, Margaret Atwood, Nadine Gordimer, Toni Morrison – I could name many more – have given us terrifying portrayals of what can happen to people when their freedom of expression, be it written or spoken, is taken away. The reason that their stories affect people so deeply is likely that the […]

It has been an exciting and different spring. Many events that were cancelled during the pandemic could take place in the past few months. In many ways, we have experienced the University afresh as we have made the transition back from online to in-person. It has been fun and intense. We in the management team […]

Democracy in the world is under threat. In recent years, we have seen increasing numbers of countries restricting the freedom of speech, limiting academic freedom, and curtailing the rights of citizens to move freely and to choose their own lives. Repressive, authoritarian regimes have a tendency towards false advertising. The rhetoric promises security and stability; […]

One hundred years ago, the State Institute for Racial Biology opened here in Uppsala. It was a small institution, with only a handful of employees, but it was intended to mark a new era, of this there could be no doubt. The decision to establish the Institute was well prepared. An exhibition of Swedish ‘folk […]

The independent, unconditional pursuit of knowledge – academic freedom – is the very essence of the university and the key to society’s preparedness for unforeseen events, as demonstrated by the coronavirus pandemic. If the development of society is to rest on a scientific foundation, it is vital that new knowledge reaches decision-makers and the public. […]