Professor Amy C. Gaudion speaks about the Evolution of Military Dissent at Widener Commonwealth Law Review Symposium

CARLISLE— Professor Amy C. Gaudion was invited to speak at the 2026 Widener Commonwealth Law Review Symposium, From 1776 to Today: The Evolution of Dissent in American Law, held on March 20, 2026.

The symposium brought together scholars and jurists to examine how dissent has shaped American law from the nation’s founding to the present day, with focused discussions on dissent in the digital age, within the courts, and across evolving legal frameworks. You can learn more and watch the symposium by clicking here.

Gaudion’s remarks explored the evolution of dissent in the U.S. military. She identified the channels available to service members to express dissent, including those within the military enterprise as well as external outlets, including Congress, educational settings, and the use of social media. Gaudion examined the competing interests at stake when members of the military express dissent, considering both the desirability and benefits of allowing protest by those in uniform and the potential harmfulness caused by expressions of dissent on military effectiveness, good order and discipline. Rather than exploring these channels and interests in the abstract, she offered a series of profiles of dissenting service members, from the founding through today, to help delineate the boundary between dissent and disloyalty.

Amy C. Gaudion is a professor of law at Penn State Dickinson Law as well as the founder of Penn State Dickinson Law’s annual cyberspace simulation with the U.S. Army War College. Her scholarship focuses on constitutional law, national security law, and civil-military relations, and she leads the Law School’s national security and cyberspace programs.