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Podcasts | Civil Discourse

Tyler Austin Harper vs. Bates College and Civil Discourse as alleged Right-Wing Conspiracy

September 17, 2026

In this episode of Radio Free Campus, co-hosts Steve McGuire and Justin Garrison talk about Tyler Austin Harper’s recent essay on leaving Bates College because its excessive racial politics made him feel like a tokenized minority. They also discuss a new report that claims civil dialogue is a right-wing conspiracy to silence dissent. Steve and Justin also explain the AAUP’s official move into election politics. The show hosts end by announcing MTSU’s Michael Federici as this episode’s “Hero of the People” and the Uncivil Collective as RFC’s “Apparatchik of the Month.”

Note: Please check any quotations against the audio recording. A transcript is available upon request. The views expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and may not necessarily reflect those of ACTA.

Uncivil Collective Report on Civil Discourse: https://static1.squarespace.com/stati…

“Why I Quit the Tenure Track”, Tyler Austin Harper: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/…

Radio Free Campus is offered by the Campus Freedom Initiative™ at the American Council of Trustees and Alumni.

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