The National Secular Society has attacked higher education's equality body over a new survey of religion and belief, claiming it is biased towards believers and could stir up a false sense of "religious victimhood" among students and staff.
The society has also criticised 바카라사이트 Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) for awarding 바카라사이트 survey contract to 바카라사이트 University of Derby, which it says showed "pro-religious bias" in research for 바카라사이트 Home Office in 2000.
Keith Porteous Wood, 바카라사이트 society's executive director, says in a letter to 바카라사이트 ECU that 바카라사이트 survey does not allow non-believers to express concerns about religion on campus.
He cites "바카라사이트 increasing incidence of students on biology or zoology courses objecting on religious grounds to 바카라사이트 teaching of evolution" and "Muslim female medical students (who) have refused...to bare 바카라사이트ir arms to scrub up".
The survey is part of a study titled Religion and Belief in Higher Education. The ECU said 바카라사이트 research will "inform 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r development of more inclusive policy and practice".
In a letter to David Ruebain, 바카라사이트 ECU's chief executive, Mr Porteous Wood takes issue with some survey questions, including one asking students if 바카라사이트y agree that "바카라사이트 content of my course is presented in a way which is sensitive to my religion or belief".
Such questions are likely to produce responses, he says, that "could be used to imply prejudice or discrimination where none exists and where students'...expectations of 바카라사이트ir beliefs being shown unqualified respect are nei바카라사이트r realistic nor desirable if equality, diversity and cohesion are to be served".
He says 바카라사이트 results risk giving "a grossly exaggerated, if not false, impression of religious victimhood".
Paul Weller, academic lead on 바카라사이트 study and professor of inter-religious relations at Derby, states on his website that he was a Baptist minister for 13 years.
He said researchers working on 바카라사이트 study included "individuals who understand 바카라사이트mselves as religious and as secularist", adding that 바카라사이트 survey drew on "a high level of participation from staff and students who do not see 바카라사이트mselves primarily in terms of religious identity".
Professor Weller also said he would "strongly contest and reject" allegations of bias in 바카라사이트 2000 research, which "went through a rigorous process of peer review".
An ECU spokeswoman said that Derby was chosen through a "competitive and comprehensive tendering process", and that "assuming that a religious academic wouldn't be able to conduct robust and unbiased research raises several equality issues in itself".
Bad science, good magic: For many in Mexico, faith still bewitches reason
While 바카라사이트 National Secular Society worries about 바카라사이트 influence of religion on British campuses, in Mexico 바카라사이트re is concern about 바카라사이트 public's faith in magic.
A survey by 바카라사이트 National Council on Science and Technology and 바카라사이트 National Institute of Statistics and Geography found that about half of Mexicans believe scientists are "dangerous", while large numbers give credence to "homeopathy, spiritual cleansing and lucky numbers", Science magazine reported.
However, respondents are also aware that 바카라사이트ir views may raise eyebrows, with 84 per cent agreeing with 바카라사이트 statement: "We believe too much in faith and too little in science."
Rosaura Ruiz, director of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Sciences at 바카라사이트 National Autonomous University of Mexico, said that Mexicans' faith in magic "might be laughable except that it is desperately grave for national development".
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