Research breakthroughs often come through collaborations − attacks on academic freedom threaten this vital work

By: Volha Chykina, University of Richmond; David P. Baker, Penn State; Frank Fernandez, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Justin J.W. Powell, University of Luxembourg, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: November 18, 2025

Words: 1,396

Last Updated: 6 days, 21 hours ago

Body Text Preview

By Volha Chykina, University of Richmond; David P. Baker, Penn State; Frank Fernandez, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Justin J.W. Powell, University of Luxembourg

Since President Donald Trump took office for the second time, many researchers across academic disciplines have had their funding cut because of their purported ideological bias. These funding cuts were further exacerbated by the extensive 2025 government shutdown.

As a team of sociologists studying universities, higher education policy …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us