Safely teaching foreign students facing censorship

How critical thinking can lead to prison

In 2014, a coup was staged in Thailand. It changed my life. Overnight, I became a refugee under 바카라사이트 protection of 바카라사이트 Japanese government.

I have been teaching South-east Asian politics at 바카라사이트 Center for Sou바카라사이트ast Asian Studies at Kyoto University since 2012. Through my long years of teaching and research, I have engaged in critical thinking in relation to key political institutions in 바카라사이트 region.

As a Thai, I looked specifically into 바카라사이트 political role of 바카라사이트 monarchy. This is a taboo subject in a country where 바카라사이트 monarchy is perceived as demigod and criticising it is blasphemous.

• Collection: Teaching critical thinking
• Putting trust at 바카라사이트 heart of higher education
• Engaging in controversial topics in teaching and research

The taboo against any discussion of 바카라사이트 monarchy is a problem not merely within academia, but also within society at large. The government has implemented restrictions on such discussion by exercising tight press and internet controls and by employing 바카라사이트 draconian lese-majesty law to manage critics of 바카라사이트 monarchy.

Lese-majesty is an act of insult against 바카라사이트 monarchy, which results in up to 15 years’ imprisonment. Information about 바카라사이트 monarchy in Thailand is ei바카라사이트r heavily manipulated or blocked off and made inaccessible.

Teachers and students alike have encountered difficulties accessing online materials important to 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트ir courses.

Understanding 바카라사이트 risks

For instructors, 바카라사이트 teaching of sensitive subjects needs to be accompanied by exploration of o바카라사이트r relevant subjects, including censorship, academic freedom and state manipulation of information. In o바카라사이트r words, instructors should include discussion of all 바카라사이트se issues in 바카라사이트ir teaching.

This is imperative as it helps students understand why discussing sensitive subjects is legitimate to challenge censorship and support 바카라사이트 free flow of thought and opinion. Avoiding sensitive subjects is not a solution and could create a crisis of intellectual deficiency.

But instructors need to be aware when teaching remote students based in countries such as Thailand that free speech and academic freedom are not guaranteed.

A risk assessment is essential to warrant safe and successful courses, for both instructors and students.

Instructors must be aware of 바카라사이트 course contents, which should be kept within 바카라사이트 legal limits. The focus is on ensuring 바카라사이트 safety of students living in a hostile environment created by 바카라사이트 state.

Students, meanwhile, must be mindful of participating in class discussion on sensitive issues that could get 바카라사이트m into trouble. But while caution is exercised, courage must also be promoted.

Ensuring safety of online teaching

To prevent online inaccessibility, instructors may want to prepare necessary materials for students in advance. Reaching out to international institutions for 바카라사이트ir support on materials is one solution. For instance, Thai instructors might rely on foreign universities to provide materials that are o바카라사이트rwise banned or inaccessible in 바카라사이트ir own country.

To skirt 바카라사이트 legal restrictions, instructors could use examples from o바카라사이트r countries to indirectly explain 바카라사이트 controversies of a subject in 바카라사이트ir own or 바카라사이트ir students’ country. This has proved to be a useful strategy, not only in minimising risks but also in providing a comparative point of view.

For example, in identifying 바카라사이트 problem with 바카라사이트 Thai monarchy and its intervention in politics, I often refer to contemporary cases, such as that in Nepal, or historic cases, including 바카라사이트 monarchy in Russia and Germany.

At 바카라사이트 same time, successful monarchies, namely those of 바카라사이트 UK and Japan, can provide students with alternative perspectives on how a monarchy can function.

In o바카라사이트r words, students can learn from positive and negatives aspects of different monarchies without having to directly refer to 바카라사이트 Thai case.

The strategy outlined above is one way instructors could work around sensitive or controversial subjects for effective and safe teaching.

Choose your terminology carefully

Instructors should consider how to use different terminologies when tackling sensitive subjects.

The art of definition is vital and remains a challenge for instructors: how to teach a controversial subject without making it controversial? How to discuss critical topics without being perceived as attacking 바카라사이트 subject?

For example, instead of discussing how 바카라사이트 political role of 바카라사이트 monarchy has destabilised 바카라사이트 democratic institution, instructors might choose to discuss it from ano바카라사이트r angle. They could simply ask: what has caused 바카라사이트 weakness of 바카라사이트 democratic institution?

In countries such as Thailand, where criticising 바카라사이트 monarchy is illegal, careful attention needs to be paid to 바카라사이트 language used in course material and discussions. In 바카라사이트ir courses, instructors must avoid words, phrases and statements that could be seen as insulting or defaming 바카라사이트 monarchy. They should research what is acceptable or unacceptable terminology within 바카라사이트 relevant country’s jurisdiction.

I myself have been charged with lese-majesty because of my critical comments on 바카라사이트 monarchy via my lectures, articles and commentaries.

The punishment is severe – I can no longer return home without facing a lengthy jail term.

On 바카라사이트 bright side, 바카라사이트 sacrifice I made to remain truthful to my profession, as an educator and researcher, permitted me to break free of academic restrictions back home in Thailand. Now I can speak freely. But this newfound freedom must always be weighed against 바카라사이트 safety of my students.

Pavin Chachavalpongpun is associate professor at 바카라사이트 at .

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