Judith Shulevitz noted in the New York Times that these spaces are able to promote certain types of conversations. Few would dispute the importance of these emotional spaces on campus. These groups provide students the opportunity to feel secure in times of distress and dysfunction, and they also provide a sense of community. Emotional refuges like OSAPR and Room 13 as well as cultural groups are often referred to as “safe spaces.” With this definition, “safe” denotes emotional protection. That’s certainly one meaning of the term. ![]() For example, a recent Slate article criticizing the UChicago letter explained that “‘safe spaces’ on campus typically describe extracurricular groups that are intended to be havens for historically marginalized students.” What do we even mean when we talk about “safe spaces?” Today, it’s particularly difficult to have productive conversations safe spaces due to the term’s multiplicity of definitions. In the firestorm following the letter’s release and subsequent circulation, it is useful to unpack the motivations behind the letter and the context in which it was written. Some praised it as an admirable and much-needed defense of free speech.īut it also garnered a fair share of criticism from people arguing that the letter was an embarrassing disappointment. The letter whipped up a nationwide frenzy, sparking a debate on free speech and safe spaces by Op-Ed columnists and incensed internet commenters alike. ![]() “Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called trigger warnings, we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual ‘safe spaces’ where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own,” wrote Dean of Students John Ellison in a welcome letter sent to all first-year students. This past fall, the University of Chicago welcomed incoming freshman to campus with an unambiguous message on safe spaces.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |