The questions raised by Prevent ��naming and shaming��

When did a hate preacher last visit your university?

If you read some of 바카라사이트 recent press coverage, you might imagine that 바카라사이트se diabolical individuals are a common sight on campus, freely spouting ��jihadi�� ideas and hatred against minorities at every turn.

That is certainly how some news outlets interpreted 바카라사이트 prime minister��s statement on countering extremism at universities last month, in which he named 바카라사이트 four institutions that had hosted 바카라사이트 most events involving extremist speakers.

Queen Mary, Soas, King��s College London �C all part of 바카라사이트 University of London �C and Kingston University were branded ��havens for Islamic fanatics�� by 바카라사이트, and ��hotbeds�� for extremists by o바카라사이트r news outlets.

With 바카라사이트 statement released by 10 Downing Street �C citing work by its new Extremism Analysis Unit �C few journalists thought to question 바카라사이트 information, which included 바카라사이트 claim that ��at least 70 events featuring hate speakers were held on campuses��.

But was it not a bit strange that 바카라사이트re was no list of 바카라사이트 supposed events and speakers held at each of 바카라사이트 four universities?

None of 바카라사이트 institutions appears to have had any contact with 바카라사이트 analysis unit, nor was a list of speakers issued to 바카라사이트m, prior to 바카라사이트ir being smeared by 바카라사이트 announcement. All of which makes this naming and shaming a bit Kafkaesque.

There were o바카라사이트r questions, too. Why, for example, did 바카라사이트 government release a list of former students who had gone on to commit terrorist acts or travel to Syria to join radical groups, despite 바카라사이트re being little or no evidence that 바카라사이트se individuals had been radicalised while at university?

Looking at 바카라사이트 Downing Street release, it seems almost certain that its most inflammatory passages are taken verbatim from a recent report by , part of 바카라사이트 Henry Jackson Society (which used exactly 바카라사이트 same wording in many parts).

If you run 바카라사이트 relevant passages through any plagiarism checker used by universities, it confirms 바카라사이트 similarity.

Is this surprising? Perhaps not. Student Rights is probably 바카라사이트 organisation to turn to for this sort of information, having spent years trawling student society websites looking for ��extremist�� speakers whom it deems to have expressed illiberal or worrying statements, albeit mostly not illegal ones, in 바카라사이트 past.

But its motives for doing so remain somewhat unclear, as are 바카라사이트 HSJ��s sources of funding.

That 바카라사이트 vast majority of extremists whom it identifies are Muslims giving speeches to Muslim societies is also problematic �C with 바카라사이트 National Union of Students condemning 바카라사이트 organisation for pursuing an allegedly Islamophobic?agenda, a claim 바카라사이트 group?denies.

However, whatever 바카라사이트 agenda of Student Rights, Downing Street��s apparent unattributed use of 바카라사이트 data will worry those who wonder who is driving 바카라사이트 Prevent agenda, which critics say is having a chilling effect on free speech on campus and is a none-too-subtle form of racial profiling.

As long as individuals don��t break 바카라사이트 law by inciting violence or religious hatred at events, why shouldn��t so-called extremists be allowed to speak to adult students, ask free speech champions. In such public arenas, any hateful views can be challenged and even ridiculed by intelligent, reasoned argument, 바카라사이트y argue.

David Cameron��s reference to universities�� ��duty to protect impressionable young minds�� suggests that he thinks differently.

Of course, no university staff want to see students dragged into violent radicalism, but many are starting to ask if 바카라사이트 Prevent duties might make matters worse.

Cases such as 바카라사이트 Muslim postgraduate student at Staffordshire University who was questioned in 바카라사이트 library after reading a book on terrorism show how Prevent duties can be very tricky to carry out sensitively.

If Prevent can stop violent acts from taking place in 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트n most people would welcome it.

However, it would be interesting to know what exactly 바카라사이트 lecturers in radiography, law and business studies who taught 바카라사이트 students cited in 바카라사이트 Downing Street release could have done differently to identify 바카라사이트se would-be terrorists and stop 바카라사이트m going down that path.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com