The Freedom Center is committed to fostering meaningful engagement with stakeholders. By building partnerships and offering resources, the Center helps stakeholders drive impactful change and support initiatives that promote freedom and responsibility.
Who we are
We are an independent, inter-disciplinary center at the University of Arizona whose mission is to promote academic and individual freedom. With freedom as our foundation, we strive to strengthen and energize the university community by advancing groundbreaking research, fostering free speech and constructive disagreement, and supporting education for all ages through programming, mentoring, and professional development that cultivates the next generation of critical thinkers. Donations can be made to the Freedom Center’s general fund through the link above or may be directed towards a program or focus that is more specific.
Contact the Center’s Business Manager, Debbie Jackson for more information.
Our Founding
The Center was established in 2008 by Professor David Schmidtz, now its Founding Director, with an initial research focus on political philosophy. It has been instrumental in attracting esteemed faculty and has played a key role in establishing the University of Arizona as the top-ranked institution for political philosophy nationwide. In 2022, the Center transitioned to new leadership under Professor Mary Rigdon (Director) and Saura Masconale (Associate Director), marking a new chapter with an expanded interdisciplinary focus that bridges philosophy, economics, and law, further solidifying the Center’s position as a leader in innovative research and education.
Your Donation Fuels Research, Innovation and Impact
The Center for the Philosophy of Freedom promotes the understanding and appreciation of the ideals of freedom and responsibility along four dimensions: published research, undergraduate education, graduate education and community outreach. Researchers from several disciplines, most prominently Political Philosophy, Economics, and the Law, come together to the explore the practical problems of organizing and running a flourishing human society.
How is your donation used?
Central to the Center’s mission is its commitment to education, fostering critical thinking, intellectual rigor, and a deep understanding of freedom and responsibility through its undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as its extensive public outreach initiatives.
Our private donors help provide crucial ‘targeted funds’ for the Center, independent of the University’s. Because your donations are made directly to the Center, we are able access those funds more easily than through other funding sources. These private donations help support scholarships, fund research for grad students, provide internships or mentorships in various disciplines at the intersection of philosophy, law, and economics with the aim of training informed citizens and future policymakers, among other high-impact public outreach initiatives.
Experience the Freedom Center in Action
Explore some of our most impactful moments through highlight videos from recent events. These showcase the Center’s dedication to fostering meaningful discussions, groundbreaking research, and community engagement. See how your support brings our mission to life!
