Open Education as Resistance to Censorship & Authoritarianism
Robert Lawson
Hi everyone,
I’m reaching out to the community to gather thoughts on how open education can serve as a form of resistance to increasing global censorship and authoritarianism.
In particular, I’m interested in how open education, which encourages critical thinking, transparency, and learner empowerment, can support democratic values in teaching and learning. Open pedagogy seems more relevant than ever as a means to promote critical
thinking, resilience, and social justice. Some other approaches might include expanding repositories or creating open digital libraries that preserve and provide access to banned books.
I would love to hear about other projects, strategies, or experiences that connect open education with resistance, civic engagement, or information freedom.
Thanks so much for your insights!
Robert Lawson
Heather Blicher
Thank you for opening up this important conversation. I'm looking forward to seeing what others can share!
A few examples that feel adjacent and, I think, aligned with what you’re describing:
Stories of Resistance: Uniting Open Practitioners in Times of Crisis: a presentation from OpenEd25 (adapted from a workshop at OER25). This work centers on how open practitioners respond during moments of political, social, and institutional crisis by preserving access to knowledge, sharing community stories, and supporting one another across borders.
Resilience and Open Education: Supporting Ukrainian Librarians During Wartime: a CCCOER webinar from February 2025. This highlighted how openness supports information freedom, continuity of learning, and democratic values during active conflict, particularly when access to information and educational infrastructure is under threat.
Additionally, here is an article from 2025 focusing on Open Pedagogy assignments in Oregon: Raising Our Voices Collaborating for Justice with Open Education
While these examples may not focus exclusively on censorship, they reflect how OE functions as resistance: sustaining access, amplifying marginalized voices, fostering critical engagement, and building resilient, values-driven communities even under authoritarian or destabilizing conditions. I also have additional installments in the planning stages that will continue to highlight practitioners using OE to respond to repression and crisis.
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