America’s institutions retreat from activism
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Just a few years ago, institutions of all kinds — from multinational corporations to centuries-old universities — were routinely weighing in on the social justice debates of the day. Now, the calculus is changing.
Why it matters: Large institutions have a great deal of power to sway opinion and effect change, but many leaders are deciding that speaking up — and often angering everyone on every side — isn’t worth the trouble.
Driving the news: After campuses reached a boiling point over Israel-Hamas war protests in the spring and several presidents resigned, colleges across the country are embracing neutrality. They’re announcing that top leaders and the institutions themselves will no longer make statements about politics and world events.
- This past week, Penn, Stanford, Washington State and Barnard all announced new institutional neutrality policies.
- They join Harvard, USC, the University of Texas and other schools, which implemented such policies over the summer.
Zoom in: The universities’ guidelines vary in detail and breadth. Some policies, such as Washington State’s, simply state that the institution itself won’t weigh in on issues.
- Others are more detailed. Harvard’s policy, for instance, says the neutrality mandate will apply to all administrators, deans, department chairs and faculty councils.
Flashback: Just a few years ago, the talk of the corporate world was that companies and CEOs had missions to serve beyond making money.
- Blue chip brands also backed the racial justice protests that followed the killing of George Floyd.
- Now, as companies find themselves in the middle of social and political debates, many are rethinking getting involved.
- Polls show fewer American consumers think businesses should take stances. In 2021, 48% said companies should speak on issues, and, in 2023, 41% did, according to Gallup.
Zoom in: Commentators on both sides of the spectrum are ready to pounce on anything that appears political — sometimes almost simultaneously.
- Consider Target, which got flack for its LGBTQ retail displays during last year's Pride Month, then drew sharp criticism from activists after it removed parts of those displays.
- "The harshest backlash is typically reserved for the folks who are inconsistent," says Bradley Akubuiro, a communications expert at Bully Pulpit Interactive. "If you backtrack, you’re going to get absolutely skewered for it."
Reality check: Both colleges and companies are turning toward neutrality, but the consequences of staying quiet may be steeper on campuses than at corporate HQ.
- “Not saying anything speaks volumes," says Paul Argenti, a communications professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. "It’s not not taking a position. It’s basically taking the position that you don’t really care.”
- Students and donors tend to be far more engaged with colleges than employees or consumers are with companies.
- Neutrality could actually fuel protests on campus, rather than tamp them down.
Still, the commitment to neutrality might actually help campuses refocus on their missions, Akubuiro says.
- "The climate had just become untenable," he says. "It’s not an especially brave approach, but it’s a practical one."
