Safe Spaces, Brave Spaces: Diversity and Free Expression in Education

by John Palfrey

How the essential democratic values of diversity and free expression can coexist on campus. Safe spaces, trigger warnings, microaggressions, the disinvitation of speakers, demands to rename campus landmarks—debate over these issues began in lecture halls and on college quads but ended up on op-ed pages in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal , on cable news, and on social media. Some of these critiques had merit, but others took a series of cheap shots at “crybullies” who needed to be coddled and protected from the real world. Few questioned the assumption that colleges must choose between free expression and diversity. In Safe Spaces, Brave Spaces , John Palfrey argues that the essential democratic values of diversity and free expression can, and should, coexist on campus. Palfrey, currently Head of School at Phillips Academy, Andover, and formerly Professor and Vice Dean at Harvard Law School, writes that free expression and diversity are more compatible than opposed. Free expression can serve everyone—even if it has at times been dominated by white, male, Christian, heterosexual, able-bodied citizens. Diversity is about self-expression, learning from one another, and working together across differences; it can encompass academic freedom without condoning hate speech. Palfrey proposes an innovative way to support both diversity and free expression on creating safe spaces and brave spaces. In safe spaces, students can explore ideas and express themselves with without feeling marginalized. In brave spaces—classrooms, lecture halls, public forums—the search for knowledge is paramount, even if some discussions may make certain students uncomfortable. The strength of our democracy, says Palfrey, depends on a commitment to upholding both diversity and free expression, especially when it is hardest to do so.

Genres: Nonfiction, Teaching, Education

192 pages, Hardcover

Published October 6, 2017

About the author

John Palfrey is President of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Before that, he was Head of the Phillips Andover Academy and a Professor at Havard Law School. He is coauthor of Born Digital: How Children Grow Up in a Digital Age, and author of the MIT Press Essential Knowledge volume Intellectual Property Strategy.

See also: John Gorham Palfrey

Reviews

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, a decent book about an important and timely topic. My rating is because it is a bit repetitive and the ideas of safe spaces and brave spaces— particularly how to establish and facilitate brave spaces— are hardly mentioned. It focuses more on the ideas of diversity and free expression without making a clear explicit connection between these ideas and safe/brave spaces. I also wish it had emphasized how these ideas impact marginalized groups more— while this was sometimes considered, more focus on the role privilege plays in these conversations would strengthen the argument.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started my 2019 reading year with a bit of a letdown. “Safe Spaces, Brave Spaces” had some strong moments to it and presented a solid overview of key free speech issues related to educational institutions and actors. However, the impact of the book for me does not go much beyond that. I had been hoping for an examination fascinating, unique issues related to campuses, but Palfrey sticks mostly to the issues I would have expected to see here. He also treats nearly all diverse perspectives as valid, which in an era of unethical communication and misinformation is dangerous territory and something that was hard to shake in my reading of the book.

Additionally, I struggled with Palfrey’s writing. At times I found his coverage of topics to be repetitive across chapters (or within) and the transitions between paragraphs or sections were sometimes unclear or lacking meaning. There was a wide range of tone and formality as well, at times intricate in language; at others informal and jocular. That is not to say that the writing wasn’t serviceable; it communicated everything with clarity. However, I can’t help but feel that Palfrey didn’t find his voice and was stretching to turn this topic into a full book. In fact, early in the book he said this was originally going to be an article. Perhaps a tighter page count would have also tightened the writing and forced Palfrey to be more direct and assertive.

This still gets 3 stars because it does what it sets out to do and I could see this book assigned in a class as an overview to the topic, but I don’t think it breaks new ground.

[Deanna Keevan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't quite what I was hoping it would be in terms of instructing/suggesting how to create safe and brave spaces in my classroom. However, it did give insight into the political/legal development around the conversations/debates that have been had about the application of free speech & safe spaces on college campuses.

This book started off strong and felt as though it became a little over-repetitive and winding as I continued into the later chapters.

Worth a read to gain some informational context for the national/global conversation around balancing the need to keep students "safe" and the value of considering conflicting opinions in dialogue.

[Joyce Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Helpful and Intelligent Response

The polarization in our world today must be turned around and what better place for that to begin than on our educational campuses. This book helps to sort out the issues involved in making that happen and offers wise words regarding the limits of tolerance in our goal of free speech.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I was already familiar with most of these ideas, I found it helpful to have them brought together in one place. I particularly enjoyed the last chapter, "Why the Diversity and Free Expression Debate Matters". Lots of good quotes.

[Christina Brandsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was well-written and contained well-researched information as well as thoughtful analysis. It is a little basic, but also spurs good conversation in light of these topics in our current political and social climate.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Timely. Not his best writing. His premise is well worth spending time in, so it was not a wasted read. I will miss his voice in education, now that he is moving out of Andover.

[Snowleopard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book to learn more about the balancing equation that is occurring across college campuses. However, I find it failed to express a solution, or a method to find a solution.