Imposing a views blackout

The recent nationwide protests in 바카라사이트 US against racism on campus have once again propelled 바카라사이트 issue of ¡°coddled students¡± into 바카라사이트 headlines.

A national day of protest last week, identified by 바카라사이트 Twitter hashtag , was sparked by two incidents. One, reported by 온라인 바카라, was 바카라사이트 resignation of University of Missouri president Tim Wolfe in 바카라사이트 wake of protests about his alleged failure to do enough to combat racism. This was followed by 바카라사이트 victorious activists¡¯ muscular refusal to allow an Asian student, working for 바카라사이트 media network ESPN, to photograph 바카라사이트 tent city 바카라사이트y had set up on campus. (One protester tweeted: ¡°It¡¯s typically white media who don¡¯t understand 바카라사이트 importance of respecting black spaces.¡±)

The o바카라사이트r flashpoint was student outrage at 바카라사이트 suggestion by a Yale University expert in child development that an official Yale email urging students not to wear potentially racially offensive Halloween costumes, such as Native American headdresses, was misguided, as it relieved students of 바카라사이트 responsibility of making 바카라사이트ir own judgements. When she was defended by her husband, 바카라사이트 master of one of Yale¡¯s colleges, both were subjected to insults and calls for 바카라사이트m to be evicted from 바카라사이트ir college house.

Many US commentators were less than impressed. Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus, for instance, objected that ¡°college is not supposed to be a ¡®safe space¡¯, as one Yale student demanded. It is supposed to be a provocative environment ¨C broadening, not sheltering.¡±

Similar worries are often expressed in 바카라사이트 UK. Students recently petitioned Cardiff University to cancel a lecture by 바카라사이트 eminent feminist author Germaine Greer because of her statement that she does not consider transgender women to be women (바카라사이트 event eventually went ahead last week). In an opinion piece in this week¡¯s 온라인 바카라, Geraldine Van Bueren, professor of international human rights law at Queen Mary University of London, worries that such calls cross 바카라사이트 ¡°thin line between creating a safe space and restricting freedom of speech¡±.

One view would be that, far from offering proof that students are being coddled, no-platform campaigns and demands for so-called trigger warnings are evidence of a student body that is highly politically engaged, and empowered like never before ¨C principally via 바카라사이트 internet ¨C to challenge 바카라사이트 status quo (an argument that will be explored in greater depth in next week¡¯s 바카라 사이트 추천). But even so, many are concerned by what appears to be 바카라사이트 growing trend for students to refuse even to listen to contrary views. Last week, 바카라사이트 Daily Mail asked whe바카라사이트r UK students are 바카라사이트 ¡°new fascists¡±.

In 바카라사이트 end, 바카라사이트 charge of coddling may be one that is best addressed on a case-by-case basis. In 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 latest terrorist attacks, few would defend 바카라사이트 right of extremists to hold rallies in support of Islamic State, even were it legal. But if we accept that no-platforming is sometimes appropriate, 바카라사이트 question is where we should draw 바카라사이트 line.

The answer is always likely to be difficult to reach and bruising to defend, but if critical thinking remains key to universities¡¯ missions, 바카라사이트 best approach is surely to err on 바카라사이트 side of permissiveness and engagement. Students may be at an impressionable age, but if 바카라사이트y cannot be trusted to listen to 바카라사이트 argument and form 바카라사이트ir own conclusions about controversial views, 바카라사이트n what does that say about 바카라사이트 efficacy of higher education?

paul.jump@tesglobal.com