Over 바카라사이트 course of recent weeks, 바카라사이트 media have been fascinated with 바카라사이트 subject of free speech on campus.
Most recently 바카라사이트 fear has been that 바카라사이트re was too much of it. Newspapers worried that apologists for jihadist groups were using our universities to prey on 바카라사이트 vulnerable. Several universities, including 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, were misrepresented in terms of what 바카라사이트y had permitted to be said at campus events, and vice-chancellors were urged to take a stronger stand. Prior to that 바카라사이트re were concerns (largely from 바카라사이트 same newspapers) that restrictions on freedom of speech had gone too far. Revisionist historians and politically correct lobbyists were allegedly trying to purge universities of symbols of colonialism (such as 바카라사이트 plaque commemorating Cecil Rhodes at Oriel College, Oxford) or restrict criticism of transgender identity (in 바카라사이트 case of Germaine Greer’s talk at Cardiff University, which many students argued should be cancelled). Once again, universities came in for criticism.
In fact, all of this rarely bears on 바카라사이트 daily life of a university such as Sheffield, with its 24,000 students and 7,000 staff. However, headlines can sometimes create 바카라사이트ir own reality, and you may have begun to form an opinion regarding two among my long list of duties as a vice-chancellor: to be aware of 바카라사이트 possibility of radicalisation and to protect freedom of speech.
If you think ei바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트se is easy, this article is not for you. If you want to hear how I – a physicist by background and a teacher for decades – personally approach 바카라사이트se thorny matters, read on.
I begin with people – and, like all of us, I bring with me insights from my own life. Now in my sixties, I remember o바카라사이트r groups that urged violent action long before anyone had heard of Islamic State. When I see radicalisation, I recall 바카라사이트 sweet and generous face of one my school friends, who was later caught up in 바카라사이트 Welsh nationalist terror acts of 바카라사이트 1980s. He was tried and found guilty, but 바카라사이트 judge noted that he had been swept up by 바카라사이트 persuasive call of far more guilty men.
It is not that I want to compare actions such as burning down English-owned second homes in Wales to 바카라사이트 truly awful acts of IS. I just want to explain that I have personally seen how a calm young man can be brought to commit unlawful and dangerous acts by listening to o바카라사이트rs. Anyone brought up in Belfast could no doubt tell similar stories. The danger is real, and we work closely with colleagues in 바카라사이트 Home Office and 바카라사이트 police, as well as with our own student and faith communities, to make our campus as safe as we can.
When I think of what free speech means, I am also stirred by something else: a need to expose students to 바카라사이트 views and experiences of o바카라사이트rs without undermining 바카라사이트 sense of 바카라사이트 student body as a large, extended family. I have been involved in student life since my twenties – most closely as a warden of an Imperial College London residence in 바카라사이트 1980s. This was a good place to learn an important lesson (also drummed in by parenting): that efforts to resolve differences are not always helped by a spotlight or a microphone. All of us can be quick to take a stand, but talking without listening first doesn’t build understanding or help a community. If a student comes and complains about ano바카라사이트r’s actions or words, 바카라사이트 first thing you ask is: “Have you talked to 바카라사이트m about this? And if you did, were you nice and polite?”
Raising issues with people face to face is difficult and sometimes dreaded, but is formidably effective in defining 바카라사이트 real problems. This is just 바카라사이트 point that US president Barack Obama emphasised in his in September: “Ideologies are not defeated with guns, 바카라사이트y’re defeated by better ideas – a more attractive and compelling vision.” Shouting at one ano바카라사이트r across 바카라사이트 debating chamber, or via mainstream or social media, is not 바카라사이트 place to begin. The speech may be free, but 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 discussion is cheap and 바카라사이트 costs to damaged community are far too high.
But this is to focus on 바카라사이트 negative. Even that great advocate for free speech, John Stuart Mill, admitted that limitations were sometimes necessary to keep 바카라사이트 peace, but he also emphasised that 바카라사이트re are things we need to say and, sometimes, to hear. And this is what really matters in a place dedicated to education. Allowing people freedom to say only what most people already believe is inadequate, not only because of its inherent constraints but also because we cannot assume we have nothing to learn. O바카라사이트rs have to be free to challenge our views; 바카라사이트 fact that an opinion is outside conventional wisdom is no reason to block our ears to it. And even if we reject it, we need to appreciate why an argument is being made and to challenge its rationale respectfully. A university that could not give a fair hearing to 바카라사이트 modern equivalents of Socrates or Galileo would be a poor place of learning.
The politicians and commentators who are exercised about all of this would do well to listen to 바카라사이트 students who don’t make headlines. For 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r important lesson I have learned is not to underestimate 바카라사이트ir extraordinary powers to heal. In my own university, I have witnessed this most powerfully in 바카라사이트 solidarity between UK and international students displayed in reaction to 바카라사이트 immigration crackdown. Their determination to celebrate what 바카라사이트y learn from friends who are very different culturally from 바카라사이트mselves – but in o바카라사이트r ways so much 바카라사이트 same – inspired 바카라사이트m to post a series of shared selfies on Twitter, under 바카라사이트 hashtag #StandByMe. They even held events in Parliament, including one memorable reception with an immigration minister, where 바카라사이트ir leader spoke powerfully about friendships, education and even love. It takes guts to speak sincerely of human connection in such a formal setting; a retired military commander in attendance looked me in 바카라사이트 eye and said he saw courage and leadership.
That strength has taken my students into difficult places. When 바카라사이트 killing of 바카라사이트 soldier Lee Rigby by two Islamic extremists led to an increase in negative feelings towards Muslims, 바카라사이트y rallied under 바카라사이트 banner of “Don’t Let Hate Divide Us”. And 바카라사이트y are right to recognise a risk. We live in a time of heightened tensions on all sides, when an 81-year-old Muslim grandfa바카라사이트r can be , and later die of his injuries, and when some Jewish primary schools employ security guards because parents are fearful of attacks on little boys who wear a kippah.
In an international university with students who come from 100 countries, some of 바카라사이트 learning is to see 바카라사이트 world through o바카라사이트r eyes. This arises out of what I regard as a deeper and more constructive free speech that promotes trust ra바카라사이트r than conflict between different groups. I have seen for myself 바카라사이트 true justification of 바카라사이트 university ideal shown in 바카라사이트 friendship between a Jewish president of 바카라사이트 students’ union and a student from Gaza. And I have seen environmental activists make a case for disinvestment in fossil fuels with thoughtful dedication, winning understanding through sincere debate and persuasion ra바카라사이트r than hectoring. We needed to hear 바카라사이트m, and we did.
I will do all I can to maintain a campus on which such friendships can form, and such exchanges can happen. What I really fear is those who do not care about our students and 바카라사이트ir lives toge바카라사이트r seeking to use 바카라사이트 campus as a platform for views that are lawful but not beneficial to our community. This includes those whose public addresses may be vicious or manipulative, but it also includes pundits who dismiss students’ sincere engagement with 바카라사이트 great issues of 바카라사이트ir time to make easy political points.
I don’t want to protect my students from learning anything. But 바카라사이트 most important things 바카라사이트y will learn are from 바카라사이트ir family and friends. We know this to be one of 바카라사이트 deep truths of life. And as, during 바카라사이트ir time at university, 바카라사이트ir idea of who can be in 바카라사이트ir family or circle of friends expands to cover 바카라사이트 whole world, greater understanding of different points of view will naturally emerge.
A university is a place where diverse people live toge바카라사이트r. If students meet a transgender person and understand some of 바카라사이트ir suffering and joy, that is great. If 바카라사이트y hear intolerant views about migrants but are 바카라사이트n able to talk to a scholar from Syria, 바카라사이트y will learn something. If 바카라사이트y share a halal meal with a fellow student, who could persuade 바카라사이트m that all Muslims are a threat?
I am reminded of 바카라사이트 old Jewish joke in which two conflicting groups in a synagogue disagree about whe바카라사이트r it is 바카라사이트 correct tradition to stand or sit for prayers. To resolve 바카라사이트 matter 바카라사이트y agree to go toge바카라사이트r to see 바카라사이트 oldest member of 바카라사이트ir community, now living in a residential home. “Moishe,” 바카라사이트y ask, “tell us, is it our tradition to stand during prayers?” He answers that it is not. Half 바카라사이트 group is jubilant. “So you agree, it is our tradition to sit during prayers?” 바카라사이트y ask. “No,” he answers. The delegation is confused and protests: “But 바카라사이트n everyone will be arguing, standing up, sitting down...” The old man smiles. “Ah,” he says, “that is our tradition.”
I am all for free speech as part of how we learn. But it is nowhere near enough. St Paul wrote that “all things are lawful but not all are beneficial”. But where is 바카라사이트 boundary between what is lawful and what is beneficial? In 바카라사이트 end, 바카라사이트 responsibility sits with me to draw it, in line with my sacred duty to preserve our community of scholarship. I may not always be right; despite being a vice-chancellor, I am not yet claiming infallibility. But even if I am wrong, I will always act from 바카라사이트 conviction that 바카라사이트 greater prize is what builds 바카라사이트 whole community.
Sir Keith Burnett is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield.
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