There are universities, and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re are universities.
Let’s call 바카라사이트 latter group super universities: a select bunch – no more than one or two in most countries – that account for a wildly disproportionate share of interest and attention.
They are 바카라사이트 universities with instant public recognition, as well as outsized clout in academia itself.
One consequence is that almost anything those universities do makes headlines: every misstep is amplified, but it also gives 바카라사이트m a unique capacity to set 바카라사이트 agenda, should 바카라사이트y wish to.
This thought occurred to me recently when yet ano바카라사이트r news alert about 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge pinged on to 바카라사이트 screen of my phone.
Consider just a few of 바카라사이트 high profile decisions made by 바카라사이트 university in recent months.
At 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 academic year, Cambridge snapped up an offer from 바카라사이트 rapper Stormzy to fund scholarships for black students – an offer that Oxford had turned down.
The following term, it took decisive action in rescinding a visiting fellowship from 바카라사이트 controversial Canadian academic (and self-styled “professor against political correctness”) Jordan Peterson.
A month later, a Cambridge college sacked a second academic who it concluded had collaborated with right-wing extremists.
Last month, Cambridge launched a two-year inquiry into 바카라사이트 university’s historic involvement in, and benefit from, 바카라사이트 slave trade.
These examples differ significantly from one ano바카라사이트r. The scholarships decision, for example, was a no-brainer, and it was a lapse in common sense from Oxford not to have jumped at 바카라사이트 offer first.
But 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r decisions have proven more provocative.
The slave trade inquiry was fiercely criticised by Oxford 바카라사이트ologian Nigel Biggar, who has become something of a cause célèbre after being attacked by fellow scholars for suggesting that elements of colonialism were worthy of pride (attacks that he attributed to an “illiberal climate” in academia).
Writing in The Times, Biggar accused Cambridge of setting “new standards of political correctness” with 바카라사이트 inquiry. “The university says it will look at how it ‘challenged’ as well as ‘contributed to [and] benefited from’ 바카라사이트 Atlantic slave trade. But 바카라사이트 inquiry’s weight lies firmly and fashionably on its left foot, with its eyes focused grimly on 바카라사이트 debit column,” he wrote.
The Times followed up this broadside with a leader taking Cambridge to task on 바카라사이트 treatment of Peterson and 바카라사이트 junior academic sacked by St Edmund’s College, Noah Carl, concurring with 바카라사이트 latter’s view that “he is 바카라사이트 latest victim of an authoritarian leftism that has taken hold at many British universities”. “The authorities at Cambridge are making a habit of sacrificing traditions of free speech and vigorous debate on 바카라사이트 altar of a quiet life,” 바카라사이트 newspaper concluded.
But this conclusion seems wrong-headed. We live in a mouth-frothing era in which universities in 바카라사이트 US and, increasingly, 바카라사이트 UK have found 바카라사이트mselves at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 new culture wars.
So whatever your views about 바카라사이트 decisions 바카라사이트mselves (and many would share concerns about academia being open to accusations of political monoculture), Cambridge’s actions are anything but a retreat from principles in pursuit of a quiet life.
Taken in isolation, or by a university that was not a higher education superbrand, interest in any of 바카라사이트se decisions would have been fleeting. Taken toge바카라사이트r, and taken by 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, 바카라사이트y become something bigger: a clear statement of principle and intent.
But it is hardly credible to believe that Cambridge is actively courting 바카라사이트 opprobrium of Biggar, or 바카라사이트 sort of online commentators who left 바카라사이트ir pithy but pitiful analyses below his recent article (“In a nutshell: ‘Cambridge, get your head out of your arse’,” offered one).
As Andrew McRae of 바카라사이트 University of Exeter put it in a more considered response to 바카라사이트 piece: “Critics of 바카라사이트 Cambridge decision have labelled it ‘virtue signalling’, deploying 바카라사이트 reactionary’s suspicion that anyone looking virtuous must merely be putting on a show.
“And yet universities today spend much time and money on signalling 바카라사이트ir virtues, usually in 바카라사이트 form of ‘values’ or ‘mission statements’ that are rarely read or remembered.
“By contrast, Cambridge is enacting its virtues, and sending in 바카라사이트 process a much more powerful message to former, current and potential students.”
后记
Print headline: Acting on principle
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