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Regulating rude: Tensions between free speech and civility in academic employment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 December 2019

Lilia M. Cortina ,
Michael G. Cortina  and
José M. Cortina
Lilia M. Cortina*
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychology and Women’s Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Michael G. Cortina
Affiliation:
SmithAmundsen, LLC, Chicago, Illinois, USA
José M. Cortina
Affiliation:
School of Business, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
*
*Corresponding author. Email: lilia@umich.edu
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Abstract

This article addresses the tensions between calls for civility and rights to free speech in public academic employment. We begin by summarizing relevant organizational science on workplace incivility. Next come critical perspectives from other fields, asserting that civility appeals infringe on rights to freedom of expression. Following this is a review of key court decisions within the jurisprudence of free speech in the workplace, especially as it applies to academics. We also address the protections afforded by tenure and (at some institutions) unions. Bringing these streams of scholarship together, we expose predicaments faced by public universities seeking to cultivate safe and civil work environments while, at the same time, respecting faculty rights to free speech. We conclude by suggesting compromises between these conflicting aims that would allow organizations (in academia and beyond) to protect workforce dignity without infringing on the rights of reasonable people.

Keywords

respectrudenessfree speecheducational personnelorganizational behavior
Type
Focal Article
Information
Industrial and Organizational Psychology , Volume 12 , Issue 4 , December 2019 , pp. 357 - 375
Copyright
© Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology 2019

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Footnotes

Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice or the practice of law. The reading of this article does not create an attorney/client relationship with Michael Cortina or SmithAmundsen, LLC. All readers should consult with a legal professional regarding any questions, needs, or concerns that they have.

Special thanks to Kai Cortina, Jean Cortina, and Carlos Arévalo for their feedback on earlier drafts of this article.

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