In a political climate that punishes dissent, students are afraid to write. As the leaders of a student publication, we don’t blame them.
Since its launch in 2009, Northeastern University Political Review, or NUPR, has sought to provide “a non-affiliated platform for students to publish essays and articles of the highest possible caliber on contemporary domestic and international politics, as well as critical reviews of political books, film and events.” Our lack of partisanship has long protected our publication, encouraging diversity of thought. However, this independence doesn’t guarantee protection for our writers, whose pieces put their voices on display. To protect the participation of all students, regardless of their visa status, we have offered writers the choice to write anonymously.
From joining NUPR as first-years to graduating as editor-in-chief and president, we have seen the vibrancy and diversity of political thought among the Northeastern student body. It is enabled by students’ exploration of timely, relevant and, at times, controversial topics. Regardless of one’s inherent beliefs, we have used NUPR as a vehicle for hosting uncomfortable conversations and engaging with constructive criticism. Each piece is a testament to the weeks, if not months, that students spend refining their arguments so that others can learn from their work and form their own opinions.
However, amid mass visa cancellations — 40 of which have hit our own university — and threats to deport international students around the country, it has become abundantly clear that our writing process now comes at the expense of those we aim to uplift: student writers. Today, students who write honestly and critically about the world around them are under scrutiny. For the most vulnerable students, every written word has placed a target on their backs. As students ourselves, we cannot encourage others to write at the expense of placing themselves, their families and their futures at risk.
In an ironic turn of events, the executive team at the political review had to grapple with the choice to be political. On one hand, limitations on free speech and free press are inherently bipartisan issues that directly impact our publication. On the other hand, NUPR is a non-affiliated publication; we are responsible for limiting bias and welcoming all voices, regardless of our team’s own political beliefs and views. More importantly, our writers come from around the world, and any actions taken by our organization may pose significant consequences for their well-being; in taking a political stance to defend our at-risk writers, we may harm them in the process.
At a time when words matter, NUPR needed to make sure students felt safe to use theirs to the fullest extent. To support this objective, our team had to prioritize safety as a prerequisite to empowerment. An organizational stance against revocations — playing “offense” — may alienate international students instead of uplifting them. Instead, we decided to promote the opportunity to anonymously publish op-ed pieces in our meetings and on our social platforms — playing “defense.”
Although student writers have always had the opportunity to anonymize their work, only a handful of students have requested this over the past few years. We haven’t promoted anonymization in the past, often overlooking this policy in the grand scheme of NUPR’s operations. Typically, students only anonymize their articles when applying for co-op opportunities or full-time jobs post-grad, often fearing a rescinded offer. Now, international students and other marginalized groups face a similar fear: rescinded protections for their education, citizenship and voice.
Northeastern itself has one of the highest rates of visa revocation in the country, with 40 visas having been revoked as of April 22. Though the Trump administration has temporarily restored students’ legal status, the fear of deportation and revocation is far from over. As Immigration and Customs Enforcement develops a new framework to track visa holders, international students are scrambling to protect themselves.
Without anonymity, international students are incentivized to keep their heads down, as the opportunity cost of open dialogue is the stability of their physical, emotional and social well-being. Pragmatically, this is too great a cost for most international writers to bear, essentially depriving students of their perspectives. For many international writers, silence seems like the only option in a political climate eager for reasons to ship them away.
Yet, their voices matter now more than ever. The integrity of all student publications, ours included, requires the freedom to think differently during times of conformity and to speak up during times of silence.
To protect free speech, we must protect our students’ safety first. Our campaign for anonymity is not just about providing a platform for students to publish contentious work, but also a platform where all students have an equal opportunity to write.
NUPR calls upon other student publications to be proactive in shielding their writers. Anonymity is one form of protection; student leaders must continue to find ways to think outside the box and challenge political narratives. As we graduate from Northeastern, we urge current students to be creative, inclusive and inquisitive — because free speech depends on you.
Anjali Aggarwal is a fourth-year economics and business administration combined major and editor-in-chief of NUPR. Aggarwal can be reached at [email protected].
Zoë Goffe is a fourth-year politics, philosophy, and economics major and president of NUPR. Goffe can be reached at [email protected].
If you would like to submit a letter to the editor in response to this piece, email [email protected] with your idea.
