Academic Freedom and Democratic Development in the Philippines: Findings from Expert-coded V-Dem Data

Abstract

In this paper, we argue that academic freedom is not only an indispensable mechanism for producing knowledge but is also vital in maintaining a strong democracy. Leveraging on the newly released dataset assessing the state of academic freedom globally, we empirically demonstrate how higher levels of academic freedom are associated with greater increases in democratic development using the Philippines as a national case study. Multiple regression analysis shows that a one-unit increase in the level of academic freedom index is associated with an 11% increase in the liberal democracy index score, which suggests a positive linear relationship. Overall, the findings have implications for policymakers and other stakeholders. Ultimately, we hope that teachers will not be discouraged from fostering critical thinking, but also that students are able to exercise these hard-fought ideals and principles towards better understanding the persisting enigma that is Philippine society.