American institutions are increasingly going neutral

From leading corporations to prestigious universities, American institutions have a history of weighing in on social justice issues and other political topics.

But in recent months, a growing number of schools and companies have removed themselves from the public conversation and adopted a stance of neutrality in regard to politics and world events.

A few examples: Over the past week, UPenn, Stanford, and Barnard College instituted policies of public neutrality, joining a handful of other schools – including Harvard, USC, and the University of Texas – who made similar moves earlier in the summer.

• Additionally, major corporations like Microsoft, John Deere, Ford, Molson Coors, Harley-Davidson, and Lowe's have all scaled back their respective diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and social activism in recent months, following social media backlash.

Driving the trend: Analysts say the recent wave of neutrality among universities is linked to their desire to avoid a repeat of on-campus tensions that spread across the US earlier this year, largely stemming from protests surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.

• In the corporate world, executives say companies are adopting stances of neutrality in order to avoid pushback from activists and consumers on both sides of the political spectrum, which has grown increasingly commonplace in recent years.

On the flip side: Some activists and commentators argue that by not speaking out on social issues, colleges end up alienating their students and encouraging stronger protests, while corporations run the risk of alienating their own employees and limiting diversity.

Zoom out: The share of Americans who say businesses should take public stances on social issues has fallen from 48% in 2021 to 41% last year, per data from Gallup.

📊 Flash poll: In your opinion, should US institutions take public stances on politics and world events?

• Yes
• No
• Unsure/other