Universities hold ‘acute’ responsibility to model healthy disagreement, says distinguished law professor

The responsibility of learning to disagree is “especially acute” on university campuses, said a Washington University professor of law and religion, as he spoke to a crowded room of students, scholars and legal professionals gathered Thursday at Brigham Young University.

“Universities like BYU,” he said, “have unprecedented access to technology and information, the material conditions for prosperity, the time and space for discussion, and smart and motivated students and faculty to have those discussions.

“And you have a sense of purpose that helps you do that better,” he continued. “In other words, if you can’t figure out how to do it here, then I’m not sure where else we’re going to find those places in this country.”

During Wheatley Institute’s Constitution Week Lecture, John Inazu