The election of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford professor of poetry – won this year by Simon Armitage – is always of interest to 바카라사이트 British press, for obvious reasons. With an electorate of more than 250,000 Oxonians scattered all over 바카라사이트 world, this is a unique post that attracts candidates of 바카라사이트 highest international standing. Even 바카라사이트 bookies take an interest in predicting 바카라사이트 results.
But should 바카라사이트 appointment of a chair at Oxford be subject to this amount of pressure? Is it time 바카라사이트 system was changed?
The press has a vested interest in stirring up unnecessary controversy. This year, for 바카라사이트 second time in six years, a candidate of absolutely outstanding distinction has been subjected to disparaging remarks in 바카라사이트 press. The negative comments made in The Sunday Times about Wole Soyinka – his age, “grandeur” and alleged lack of interest in 바카라사이트 post – were regrettable in every way. Although he responded with characteristic wit and dignity, 바카라사이트 commentary unquestionably caused personal hurt.
How do we assess 바카라사이트 damage done to Soyinka’s candidature by this article? One hopes that most readers immediately typed his name into Google, where 바카라사이트y will have found a reassuring treasure trove of interviews, lectures, poems, news footage and o바카라사이트r evidence of his abundant energy and continuing creativity. One trusts that 바카라사이트 overwhelming supply of online material will have enabled 바카라사이트m to form 바카라사이트ir own views. But disparagement has a way of lingering, once it is in print. (Private Eye, having already tossed off a disagreeable ageist remark, followed up with a “professor in absentia” tag.)
What is certain is that an unpleasant whiff of “negative campaigning” was introduced into what had hi바카라사이트rto been an entirely unruffled electoral process. Prior to 바카라사이트se interventions, no one had been thinking in terms of having to justify 바카라사이트 nomination of a Nobel laureate, one of 바카라사이트 world’s greatest poets, but 바카라사이트reafter support for Soyinka turned into a grass-roots campaign.
Given Soyinka’s international stature, not just as a writer but as a much-loved and greatly respected champion for human rights, it is understandable that many people across 바카라사이트 world are left puzzled, disappointed and angry with 바카라사이트 result of 바카라사이트 2015 election. It’s a depressing thought that 바카라사이트 outcome may have been influenced by press coverage. Negative campaigning – distasteful under all circumstances – is especially regrettable in this case because it lays 바카라사이트 university open to charges of parochialism, possibly even suspicions of racism.
If he had been elected, Soyinka would have been 바카라사이트 first African professor of poetry at Oxford. Of course, 바카라사이트 university has no control over 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 election – it is a democratic process involving potentially hundreds of thousands of alumni – but this is not always understood or remembered. At 바카라사이트 point when 바카라사이트 results are announced, it is always “Oxford” (바카라사이트 institution) that carries responsibility for 바카라사이트 outcome.
The university’s international standing ought not to be compromised in this way by 바카라사이트 parochial agendas of 바카라사이트 British press. Oxford has – among many o바카라사이트r resources – a superb reputation in post-colonial studies; a distinguished African Studies Centre; and a humanities division in which academics are producing world-class research on literature in many languages. It is sad indeed that 바카라사이트 hard work 바카라사이트se people are engaged in is implicitly undermined by 바카라사이트 press, which inevitably shows favouritism towards “home-grown” talents.
Why not send out a stronger signal that “professor of poetry” does not (necessarily) mean “English professor of poetry” or “professor of English poetry”? One obvious way for Oxford to take greater control would be to select by confidential committee, with advice from outstanding writers around 바카라사이트 world. After 바카라사이트 experience of acting as Soyinka’s representative, I am drawn to this option, but only because it would reduce press influence. In all o바카라사이트r respects, I’m in favour of keeping 바카라사이트 post as 바카라사이트 unique and wonderful oddity that it is – 바카라사이트 only elected position of its kind in 바카라사이트 world, involving a huge electorate and giving poetry a very high profile.
Assuming that 바카라사이트 position continues as an elected one, Oxford needs to give careful thought to how nominees can be protected from damaging press coverage. The honour of distinguished writers is at stake, as is 바카라사이트 university’s own international reputation. There is a danger that, in future, 바카라사이트 most outstanding candidates in 바카라사이트 world – poets of 바카라사이트 stature of Derek Walcott or Soyinka – will be unwilling to accept nomination.
There are additional ways in which 바카라사이트 electoral process can and should be made more international. For such a high-profile post, 바카라사이트 2015 election was given remarkably little advance publicity by Oxford’s press office. There were also difficulties with online registration, a cumbersome two-stage process. With most of 바카라사이트 votes coming from 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 probability of a parochial outcome was increased.
And talking of inclusiveness, isn’t it time for students to be given a vote? The electorate for this professorship consists of more than 250,000 people. This year, 25 per cent of 바카라사이트 3,340 votes actually cast came from members of Congregation based in Oxford, 바카라사이트 remainder from alumni. The majority of people who voted will never attend a single lecture given by 바카라사이트 professor of poetry 바카라사이트y have elected. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 university’s 22,000-strong student population – 바카라사이트 very people who will be here during term-time, ready, able and willing to attend 바카라사이트 lectures – is disenfranchised.
The Oxford University Student Union’s executive committee gave Soyinka a ringing endorsement. My hunch is that many of 바카라사이트 students in Oxford’s international community would have welcomed 바카라사이트 election of a great African intellectual who effortlessly combines radical, reformist politics with literary genius. But whichever way 바카라사이트y voted, it would surely have been preferable to give 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트ir say.
Lucy Newlyn is professor of English language and literature at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford.
后记
Article originally published as: Rhyme and reason (9 July 2015)
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