Introducing The Swarthmore Independent

Dear Swarthmore Community,

It is with pleasure that we introduce The Swarthmore Independent, an independent, student-run news publication committed to broadening political discourse and presenting alternative viewpoints.

We firmly hold that ideological heterogeneity sits at the foundation of intellectual growth. At present, social and political dialogue at Swarthmore is conspicuously partial. Ideological hegemony on campus impedes the meaningful exchange of thought, thus spoiling the prospect of comprehensive edification.

Our mission for The Independent is to develop a platform which challenges standing orthodoxies and gives shelter to views of all creeds. For us, the exercise of unencumbered free expression is of the utmost importance. The presentation of dissenting opinions should be endorsed, not suppressed or met with hostile, reactionary sentiment.

We intend to defend against any attempts at suppressing the free communication of ideas in our publication, regardless of disapprobation. We also actively advocate for contributions from anonymous authors in an effort to provide protection against potential aspersions. Nevertheless, the processes by which we select and evaluate content for publishing entail thorough review.

Ultimately, The Independent seeks not to deliberately provoke or champion any particular narrative, but rather to facilitate pluralistic idea flow as a moderator of consolidated thought. We hope that the publication is received with an unprejudiced interpretation of its assignment: to expand perspective and enrich intellectual discourse at our institution.

We call on any students who resonate with our pursuit to join us in our efforts. The Independent is currently in need of individuals to fill roles as editorial staff members, writers, and more. Specific details regarding positions and instructions on how to apply can be found here.

Sincerely,

The Swarthmore Independent Editorial Team

editor@swarthmoreindependent.org