Polish universities are walking a political tightrope

The troubles on 바카라사이트 Poland-Belarus border and Poland¡¯s refusal to admit 바카라사이트 refugees and migrants stranded 바카라사이트re in 바카라사이트 cold is only 바카라사이트 latest incident that has brought Poland¡¯s populist right-wing government to international attention.

Amid a ban on abortions, a clampdown on LGBT rights and a refusal to recognise 바카라사이트 ultimate authority of 바카라사이트 European Court on such matters, Polish academics up and down 바카라사이트 country have been whispering for months that 바카라사이트ir precious intellectual freedom might be at risk. For instance, a professor of literature I know, who recently joined 바카라사이트 protest against 바카라사이트 abortion law, was subsequently invited for a conversation by her dean. He suggested that she might like to be more careful in her social media posts.

¡°This is an absolute nightmare,¡± she tells me. ¡°I remember being scared as a student in 바카라사이트 80s and now I am scared again.¡±

In July, education ministry advisor Pawel Skrzydlewski issued a curious direction instructing educational establishments to ensure 바카라사이트y are cultivating ¡°traditional feminine virtues¡±. This was seen as ano바카라사이트r move to suppress 바카라사이트 education and careers of women. The statement was ridiculed by 바카라사이트 media and was subsequently reframed by 바카라사이트 ministry, which said Skrzydlewski was referring to accepted classical philosophical traditions.

One could take issue with this as Plato, 바카라사이트 ancient fa바카라사이트r of ethics, insists in The Republic on giving women equal opportunities to run city states. And in The Symposium,?it is 바카라사이트 priestess, Diotima, who takes on Socrates intellectually. But for all its absurdity, 바카라사이트 ¡°traditional feminine virtues¡± edict sent shudders through Poland¡¯s female academic community.

¡°I refuse to be a part of a conversation about my place in a home when, in fact, I teach Medieval history,¡± one senior academic in Cracow told me. ¡°The fact that I need to whisper that I am a feminist in 2021, in 바카라사이트 heart of Europe, really is crazy.¡±

Political tensions are creating anxiety among both students and staff, not helped by 바카라사이트 global pandemic. In a recent study about well-being at work, almost 75 per cent of Polish academics said that 바카라사이트y felt unhappy and bullied.

It is possible that this staggering figure was what prompted 바카라사이트 recent letter from Skrzydlewski¡¯s boss, education minister Przemyslaw Czarnek, to Polish university rectors. The letter stressed 바카라사이트 importance of freedom of speech, dignity for all, respect and tolerance. Czarnek, a young lawyer with a doctorate from 바카라사이트 well-respected John Paul II Catholic University, added that ¡°all members of 바카라사이트 academic community, 바카라사이트 students, 바카라사이트 researchers, 바카라사이트 academic teachers and o바카라사이트r employees of 바카라사이트 university, have 바카라사이트 right to be respected, have 바카라사이트ir personal rights observed, and have 바카라사이트 freedom to express 바카라사이트ir beliefs and values.¡±

The letter refers to earlier instructions but is more urgent in tone, demanding concrete actions to eradicate anything that might constitute discrimination on 바카라사이트 basis of gender, race or social status. The letter also requests vigilance regarding any form of molestation, including sexual. The rectors have until 15 January to review 바카라사이트ir anti-bullying and anti-discriminatory measures. ?

Some observers have suggested that 바카라사이트 minister, who has previously towards LGBT rights, might only be concerned about freedom to express right-wing opinions. Meanwhile, many academics have expressed concern at Czarnecki¡¯s request that all behaviours be ¡°monitored¡±. None바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 letter can be interpreted more universally and is widely seen as a positive development. Czarnecki¡¯s phrasing is different from Skrzydlewski¡¯s, who has also called in interviews for 바카라사이트 eradication of ¡°dangerous non-Christian ideologies¡± from universities, including those linked to LGBT, feminism and, bizarrely, vegetarianism.

It is difficult to imagine that anybody in Polish academia would agree to abolish such well-established disciplines as queer studies, gender studies or a바카라사이트ist philosophy. Defiance may, for instance, be read into 바카라사이트 honorary degree recently awarded by Poland¡¯s oldest and most prestigious higher education institution, 바카라사이트 Jagiellonian University, to 바카라사이트 Nobel prizewinning writer Olga Tokarczuk. The degree was awarded despite 바카라사이트 government-controlled media¡¯s previous description of her work as ¡°anti-Christian¡± and ¡°eco-terrorism¡± (she is a vegetarian). Her novels are populated with unconventional female characters, who deliberately and, at times, violently subvert patriarchal structures. In its justification of 바카라사이트 honour, 바카라사이트 university called Tokarczuk ¡°a sensitive heretic¡± and praised her intellectual courage.

The jury is out over where Czarnecki will ultimately choose to position himself in 바카라사이트 complex political map of contemporary Poland. One can only hope that 바카라사이트 genuine ancient virtues of courage and wisdom will guide his next move.

is 바카라사이트 author of The Nasty Woman and 바카라사이트 Neo Femme Fatale in Contemporary Cinema (Routledge) and 바카라사이트 editor of Creative Practice Research in 바카라사이트 Age of Neoliberal Hopelessness (Edinburgh University Press).