Roundtable

‘Unwoke the University’: A Mere Question of Academic Freedom? Insights from Belgium

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Abstract

Donald Trump’s 2025 return to power has led to a spectacular comeback of academic freedom in academic research and university policies. While echoing earlier trends, it has prompted renewed concern about the fragility of academic freedom even in established democracies. In response, academic freedom has re-emerged as a political and institutional resource, with proposals such as the constitutionalisation of academic freedom. While these initiatives may offer a more robust legal protection and generate a necessary debate on the role of research and universities in a well-functioning democracy, they could also, if insufficiently prepared, easily backfire. Furthermore, as indicated by a discussion of recent developments in Belgium, academic freedom cannot be addressed in isolation from broader political debates. The debate about woke shows that it should be related to a broader analysis of the politics of knowledge. Defending academic freedom requires recognising its political embeddedness and addressing broader challenges to democratic values and knowledge production. 

Keywords: academic freedom, belgium, de-democratisation, politics of knowledge, university, woke

How to Cite:

Paternotte, D., (2026) “‘Unwoke the University’: A Mere Question of Academic Freedom? Insights from Belgium”, DiGeSt - Journal of Diversity and Gender Studies 13(1), 4–12. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/digest.101176