How professors teach contentious political issues

Abstract This article offers the first empirical study of how professors teach contentious political subjects. Drawing on a database of millions of syllabi, we explore how three such subjects are taught: (1) racial bias in the criminal justice system; (2) the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and (3) the ethics of abortion. We find that most professors don’t assign readings that reflect the larger scholarly debate around each issue. This practice may alienate students, undermine public trust, and compromise the civic and intellectual formation of students.