A remotely recorded podcast with Anuj Desai (Law School Profile), Volkman-Bascom Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin Law School.
In this episode of Wisconsin Law and Action, Professor Anuj Desai speaks about the nature of First Amendment law and its institutional contexts. Desai explains that free speech serves four core social values — truth-seeking, democracy, self-actualization, and enabling peaceful social change — and that speech disputes are best understood within specific institutional settings, from the postal system and libraries to parks and universities. He introduces the key legal distinction between “speakers” and “conduits,” tracing it from historical examples like the post office and broadcast radio through to modern platforms.
The discussion then addresses contemporary challenges around social media and campus speech. Desai highlights the legal tension social media companies create by claiming conduit status under Section 230 while asserting speaker rights to resist regulation. On campuses, he notes that different university spaces — a classroom versus an open mall — warrant different speech rules based on their underlying purposes.
The interview was conducted on February 20, 2026 | 50:06 minutes; published April 8, 2026. Transcript file (PDF).
Link to the Podcast: Soundcloud | Apple Podcast