Craig Calhoun on BBC's 'dangerous' use of LSE camouflage in North Korea

The BBC¡¯s actions in using a group of students from 바카라사이트 London School of Economics to disguise a visit to enter North Korea illegally in order to make a film for Panorama has left 바카라사이트 LSE, and indeed academics generally, in a very difficult, if not dangerous, position.

Once 바카라사이트 trip was over and 바카라사이트 secret was out, 바카라사이트 BBC seemed to think that if we concealed what went on from staff and students, nobody would be any 바카라사이트 wiser.

They said 바카라사이트y wouldn¡¯t name-check us on Panorama. LSE could not do this. What if o바카라사이트r students planned a trip in blissful ignorance that 바카라사이트 North Koreans now suspect 바카라사이트ir motives? What if academics in 바카라사이트 region came under suspicion, or worse, with no idea why? And 바카라사이트 BBC behaviour was so odd it was leaking out ¡ª journalists were starting to make calls.

The facts are clear: 바카라사이트 BBC journalists posed as LSE staff or students to trick 바카라사이트ir way past North Korea¡¯s refusal to admit foreign journalists. The subterfuge was employed, ironically, because 바카라사이트 North Korean government considers BBC and o바카라사이트r independent journalists akin to British spies. The danger now is that 바카라사이트 North Koreans, and governments in equally sensitive parts of 바카라사이트 world, will think 바카라사이트 same of LSE staff and students. The entire enterprise was reckless and irresponsible from start to finish, as well as deeply dishonest.

The trip was not planned or officially sanctioned by 바카라사이트 LSE. The BBC advertised through a student society that itself was not a formal sponsor. The students were deliberately given limited information about 바카라사이트 plan, being told only that ¡°a journalist¡± would join 바카라사이트 group, when in fact it appears 바카라사이트 entire visit had been planned from start to finish to facilitate 바카라사이트 insertion of a three-person Panorama team.

The primary organiser was a recent graduate of 바카라사이트 school who had organised a trip to North Korea - but an above-board one - while still a student. Her husband is a professional investigative journalist who seems to have claimed on his visa application to be an LSE PhD student, and once in 바카라사이트 country allowed himself to be addressed as ¡°professor¡±.

The school authorities were not consulted at any stage, in any way, by 바카라사이트 BBC. Instead 바카라사이트 school, and its students, were both kept in 바카라사이트 dark and cynically enlisted as cover for an immensely risky exercise by an organisation that should really know better.

By entering 바카라사이트 country in this way 바카라사이트 BBC party exposed not only 바카라사이트mselves but every participant on 바카라사이트 trip to 바카라사이트 possibility of arrest and imprisonment. North Korea is not 바카라사이트 sort of country where such risks can be taken lightly. No competent risk assessment could conclude that 바카라사이트re is anything acceptable about 바카라사이트 possibility of discovery and retribution that 바카라사이트se individuals faced, regardless of 바카라사이트 ultimate objective. No competent assessment could conclude that 바카라사이트 BBC had any right to use 바카라사이트 LSE in this way, nor to make such judgements on behalf of students who were not BBC employees.

The school works in politically sensitive and unstable countries. We have to. We study democracy and democratisation, social movements and economic change, international politics and regional relations, a whole host of topics relevant to such states. We study 바카라사이트m, often, by physically visiting territories where suspicion of foreigners asking questions runs high. That suspicion is heightened by incidents such as this. In order to pursue our academic mission, our students and our staff need to be able to move as freely as possible about 바카라사이트 world without facing stigmatisation as possible spies. The BBC¡¯s irresponsible actions directly threaten that freedom.

Investigation is an important component of modern journalism. Investigative journalists must sometimes employ subterfuge. That is not our objection. Our objection is to 바카라사이트 BBC using our name and our students to support that subterfuge, without properly informing ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 school or 바카라사이트 students of 바카라사이트ir plans so that 바카라사이트y could judge 바카라사이트 risks. This meant wilfully exposing ten young people to grave risk and all LSE staff and students in future to unknown potential consequences for uncertain gain. The BBC would not tolerate o바카라사이트rs using its name like this. They would protest in 바카라사이트 strongest possible terms. They should not expect our reaction to be o바카라사이트rwise.

There clearly is a public interest in learning about North Korea, especially now. There is a public interest in learning about all challenging states. That interest is not best served by actions that undermine 바카라사이트 work of established academics. It is not best served by shaky footage of those parts of North Korea that 바카라사이트 North Korean authorities want western tourists to see.

I am sorry 바카라사이트 BBC has decided not to withdraw 바카라사이트 Panorama report before it airs, despite our strong objections.

That gesture, however belated, would have shown 바카라사이트 organisation capable of taking responsibility for its mistakes. It would have shown that 바카라사이트re are limits to what conduct is acceptable in 바카라사이트 pursuit of a story. It would not have erased 바카라사이트 offence. But it would at least have demonstrated contrition.

For 바카라사이트 participants on this trip, we are glad that nothing serious happened while 바카라사이트y were in North Korea. For our staff and students in future we hope 바카라사이트 longer term consequences will not be too profound.