Nearly a third of faculty in “red states” told researchers they have censored their own work because of state laws restricting “divisive concepts,” according to a new Ithaka S+R survey of about 4,000 academics released this week. The survey found that 29% of respondents living in states with such laws said they altered their research agendas, and 10% said they were considering moving to another state due to the political climate. Ithaka S+R reported that self-censorship cut across disciplines, with particularly high rates in education and nursing. Researchers described anxiety that extends beyond the laws’ text—creating fear about whether certain inquiry will be permitted or funded even when exemptions exist. The survey also points to an earlier federal-policy shock: the Trump administration canceled thousands of research grants and sought to restrict studies of gender identity while capping indirect research costs. Even amid those shifts, 8% of respondents said they lost federal grants at some point in 2025.