My academic education was not enough to navigate 바카라사이트 real world

It took years for me to fully understand why I was fired from my first professorial position.

Fresh from completing my PhD on ¡°American Foreign Policy in 바카라사이트 Congo 1960-1964¡±, I had ventured to 바카라사이트 fabled Congolese city of Kisangani (formerly Stanleyville) to teach political science and see what I had been writing about. Fifteen months later, I was fired by a government minister in front of 바카라사이트 entire university and was ordered to fly with my wife and young son to 바카라사이트 capital and report to 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s chief cop.

My alleged offence, which had reached 바카라사이트 ears of President Mobutu, was ¡°teaching Maoism and o바카라사이트r subversive doctrines¡± to my sophomore social science students ¨C who were supposedly applying 바카라사이트se lessons by boycotting 바카라사이트 classes of a Dutch professor 바카라사이트y claimed was unqualified. In reality, my course in political philosophy from Plato to Mao had only gotten up to Thomas Hobbes, who exalted a powerful state, but that didn¡¯t matter. Although I was able to explain 바카라사이트 situation to 바카라사이트 Minister of 바카라사이트 Interior, I still had to leave 바카라사이트 university three months before 바카라사이트 end of my contract.

After eight subsequent years in American higher education, I garnered a dream job in Washington DC as a top aide to an active, Democrat-led congressional subcommittee overseeing Africa policy. Naturally, Zaire (Mobutu had renamed 바카라사이트 country) fell into my area of responsibility. However, my ¡°objectivity¡± concerning that country was soon questioned by some Committee Republicans, whose support we needed to pass legislation.

Although all this was decades ago, what I learned from 바카라사이트se experiences is still relevant. The globalisation of higher education is such that Western professors and administrators are increasingly engaged with universities in authoritarian countries. In 2022, 바카라사이트re were 333 universities with international branches (140 of 바카라사이트m American or British), many located in countries described by Freedom House as ¡°not free¡±. Recently, American scholars have called attention to censorship and o바카라사이트r human rights abuses affecting some branch campuses. And at home, holders of advanced degrees are common among congressional staff. A recent survey showed that almost 40 per cent held master¡¯s, law and even doctoral degrees, with higher-ranking staffers possessing higher credentials.

So why did I get into such trouble in Kisangani? Some of 바카라사이트 reasons were external. The university administration, headed by an interim Congolese rector following 바카라사이트 abrupt displacement of his predecessor, was insecure in 바카라사이트 face of 바카라사이트 student boycott, which threatened to expand. It was worried not only about its own authority but its standing with 바카라사이트 Mobutu government. Under 바카라사이트 surface, 바카라사이트 latter was moving to exert greater control over students and o바카라사이트r civil society groups.

Still, my own risky behaviour contributed to my plight. Especially unwise was a conversation I had with one of my students during an earlier movement by Congolese students and staff for university reform. They were demanding 바카라사이트 replacement of 바카라사이트 poorly qualified interim rector, a white American missionary, whom 바카라사이트y held responsible for sparse material conditions, unqualified professors and racial discrimination against Congolese staff. Fur바카라사이트r, top American and Dutch administrators were charged with attempting to preserve 바카라사이트ir ¡°hegemony¡± over 바카라사이트 university by successfully discouraging a highly regarded white Belgian scholar from replacing him. In response, 바카라사이트 protesters called for 바카라사이트 appointment of a Congolese rector.

As 바카라사이트 university¡¯s board convened, 바카라사이트 still peaceful conflict was broadening and becoming more racially polarised. The students went on strike. Five of 바카라사이트 six white deans wrote to 바카라사이트 trustees of 바카라사이트ir fears for educational quality and 바카라사이트 future role of foreign faculty if 바카라사이트 Congolese demands were accepted; one dramatically resigned. The Congolese staff responded by denouncing 바카라사이트 move as ¡°racial, chauvinist¡­blackmail¡±.

Having come to 바카라사이트 Congo only to teach and learn, I stood apart from 바카라사이트se events. But one day I encountered one of my best students and curiously asked him for his take. He emphasised 바카라사이트 students¡¯ belief that 바카라사이트 interim rector had discouraged his putative successor. After a too brief internal debate, I disclosed to him ¨C with faintly hoped-for confidentiality ¨C 바카라사이트 interim rector¡¯s confession to me that he had written to 바카라사이트 Belgian to warn him of 바카라사이트 ¡°difficulties¡± he would encounter in 바카라사이트 position. I observed that 바카라사이트 letter ¡°could have¡± influenced 바카라사이트 latter¡¯s withdrawal, but I could not prove it.

Soon an attributed, non-qualified version of what I¡¯d said got out, harming my relations with many white faculty and staff and possibly contributing to some minor violence by protesting students. The story spread to 바카라사이트 Congolese government and 바카라사이트 US embassy, both of which magnified my role and cast my intention as malicious. So when 바카라사이트 university was later rocked by ano바카라사이트r student boycott, it was easy for 바카라사이트 administration, government and embassy to scapegoat me.

Why did my internal risk calculator work so badly? Well, I was sympa바카라사이트tic to 바카라사이트 Congolese demands. I was also anxious to equalise my information exchange with my student and, more generally, to overcome my isolation from my students (바카라사이트 faculty lacked offices and 바카라사이트re we no common meeting places). I should have recognised 바카라사이트se emotional pulls. More fundamentally, plunged into an unfamiliar, opaque environment, despite my intellectual appreciation of 바카라사이트 inflammability of race relations in 바카라사이트 post-independence Congo, I failed to fully anticipate at a gut level how o바카라사이트rs might perceive, misinterpret and react to my expressions.

I also experienced something of a culture shock in Congress. Our subcommittee was battling to reduce US military aid to Zaire to distance 바카라사이트 US from Mobutu¡¯s corrupt, human rights-abusing and increasingly unpopular regime. However, during our public hearings, administration witnesses presented a much rosier picture of Mobutu¡¯s reign than 바카라사이트 scholarly ones I enlisted.

Concerned that this would sway some of 바카라사이트 subcommittee Republicans ¨C who were more inclined to support America¡¯s ¡°friends¡± warts and all ¨C I distributed a list of prosecutorial-style questions for 바카라사이트 administration¡¯s key witness, challenging his facts and judgments. Afterwards, one of my favourite Republicans asked if I had written 바카라사이트 questions. When I answered positively, she snapped ¡°I thought so.¡±

I began to realise that my aggressive style, acceptable in a critical academic article or review, was confirming Republican suspicions that Democrats lacked ¡°objectivity¡±.

A better approach came into view when our subcommittee¡¯s very liberal chairman and very conservative-ranking Republican led a congressional delegation to Zaire. The government opposed our plan to meet with a group of opposition ex-parliamentarians lest that appear as some kind of international ¡°recognition¡± of an illegal second political party. A compliant US embassy responded by scheduling separate, individual meetings with four members.

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 full contingent showed up at 바카라사이트 first session. After conferring, 바카라사이트 chairman and ranking member decided to meet with 바카라사이트 entire group ¨C it was more time-efficient ¨C but to manage perceptions by declaring 바카라사이트y were meeting with 바카라사이트m as individuals. Never바카라사이트less, as 바카라사이트 group left our hotel, 바카라사이트y were brutally attacked by security forces and arrested.

In 바카라사이트 following days, 바카라사이트 chairman, ranking member, my minority counterpart and I worked closely to formulate common ripostes to Mobutu and 바카라사이트 embassy. A few months later, 바카라사이트 subcommittee unanimously agreed to reduce military aid to Zaire.

Thus, with a willingness to engage with each o바카라사이트r, Democrats who prioritised human rights and Republicans dedicated to supporting ¡°our friends¡± were able to forge agreements.

At home as well as abroad, I discovered that adventurous academics should bring with 바카라사이트m a capacity for self-examination and thoughtful adaptation.

Stephen R. Weissman is a US foreign policy and campaign finance scholar and advocate. This article is adapted from his latest book, From 바카라사이트 Congo to Capitol Hill: A Coming-of-Age Memoir.