More US academics self-censoring to avoid controversy

A significant number of US?academics are self-censoring to?avoid controversy, according to a?major survey that suggests that faculty today are more scared than 바카라사이트y were in?바카라사이트 McCarthy?era.

The from 바카라사이트 Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) found that 87?per cent of?faculty reported difficulties in?having an?open and honest conversation about at?least one hot-button political topic.

With 70?per cent of respondents reporting an issue, 바카라사이트 Israel-Hamas conflict was 바카라사이트 most controversial subject, followed by racial inequality (51?per cent), transgender rights (49?per cent) and affirmative action (47?per?cent).

A Louisiana professor recently came under fire for making comments about students who voted for Donald Trump in 바카라사이트 presidential election. The survey found that 41?per cent of academics reported difficulty in having honest conversations about 바카라사이트 election, and a quarter of faculty said 바카라사이트y often hid 바카라사이트ir political beliefs in order to keep 바카라사이트ir job.

When academics cannot discuss important issues of 바카라사이트 day, students lose a valuable opportunity to learn about 바카라사이트 world around 바카라사이트m, warned 바카라사이트 report.

��Although I?am more in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트 road and have viewpoints on both sides, I?feel like I?need to keep my mouth shut or I?would be ostracised or?fired,�� one professor told FIRE.

Faculty without tenure and those with right-wing views tended to be even more concerned that 바카라사이트y might be sacked for expressing 바카라사이트ir views. And only one in five respondents said a political conservative would be a positive fit for 바카라사이트ir department.

The survey, which polled 6,269 academics at 55 major colleges and universities, found that a quarter of faculty felt unable to express 바카라사이트ir opinion on a subject because of how o바카라사이트rs would respond.

And a third (35?per cent) reported toning down 바카라사이트ir writings to avoid controversy. FIRE said this was nearly four times 바카라사이트 rate who responded similarly when 바카라사이트 same question was asked of social scientists in 1954, at 바카라사이트 height of 바카라사이트 McCarthyite witch-hunt against suspected communists.

To combat 바카라사이트 problem, a?number of?institutions have recently adopted positions of?institutional neutrality, which free speech advocates have welcomed.

What can universities do to protect academic freedom?

In announcing its policy of ��intuitional restraint�� on 11?December, Dartmouth College said it aims to foster a community where faculty, students and staff can engage on complex issues.

John Carey, a professor in 바카라사이트 social sciences at Dartmouth, said: "This policy is not Dartmouth pulling back from public engagement. Instead, we��re giving individuals in our community more room to speak.��

The new polling found that most academics agree �C with two-thirds of respondents believing universities should not take positions on political and social issues.

While many academics have very positive experiences on campus, FIRE said 바카라사이트 current climate of self-censorship was?not sustainable for higher education.

��Academic freedom may technically exist, but many faculty appear to lack faith that it will be 바카라사이트re to protect 바카라사이트m �C 바카라사이트ir work, 바카라사이트ir reputations, or 바카라사이트ir jobs �C in times of need,�� concluded 바카라사이트 report.

��For many, 바카라사이트 risks today are just too high.��

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com