US academic freedom ranking in 2025
Heterodox Academy discussion of the U.S. ranking 85th on the 2025 Academic Freedom Index, plus V-Dem index background, frame this note.
Why it matters: weak academic freedom degrades science advice, education quality, and the public's ability to check power.
Compare the ranking article with the PMC index methods paper. The takeaway is that university autonomy is a democratic infrastructure issue.