Diversity, conflict, and normative neutrality: the university as a critical institution
In this peer-reviewed article, Dr. Christof Royer examines how universities navigate normative conflict and the tension between viewpoint diversity and normative neutrality. Drawing on post-positivist critiques and agonistic democratic theory, Christof argues that universities do not resolve these conflicts but sustain them as a necessary condition for pluralism and critical engagement. By institutionalizing contestation and maintaining principled neutrality, universities can preserve intellectual diversity and protect against ideological homogeneity.
