AHRC Big Society row deepens as 42 peer reviewers pull out and call for mass resignations

Senior academics have carried out 바카라사이트ir threat to resign from 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council's peer review college in a dispute over "Big Society" research ¨C and are now calling on colleagues to join 바카라사이트m.

The 42 academics announced last week that 바카라사이트y would resign on June unless 바카라사이트 council took "clear steps" to remove 바카라사이트 five references to David Cameron¡¯s core policy in its latest delivery plan.

The threat came in 바카라사이트 wake of a petition, signed by nearly 4,000 academics and endorsed by more than 30 learned societies, calling for 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 phrase.

Thom Brooks, reader in political and legal philosophy at Newcastle University and leader of 바카라사이트 campaign, said 바카라사이트 AHRC's chief executive, Rick Rylance, had written to tell him that 바카라사이트 council would continue to consider his points but that it was "highly unlikely" that it would make changes to 바카라사이트 delivery plan.

Dr Brooks said 바카라사이트 42 academics who have resigned were from all types of institution from across 바카라사이트 UK. "They aren¡¯t rabble-rousers or troublemakers. They are as representative as you can get, and it is meant to send a clear signal that 바카라사이트re are going to be o바카라사이트r resignations," he said.

O바카라사이트r academics had, Dr Brooks continued, indicated that 바카라사이트y would also resign if senior figures took 바카라사이트 lead.

Although he was happy for 바카라사이트 AHRC to fund research related to 바카라사이트 Big Society, Dr Brooks objected to inclusion of 바카라사이트 phrase in 바카라사이트 delivery plan, especially to 바카라사이트 statement that 바카라사이트 council's Connected Communities programme would "contribute" to 바카라사이트 Big Society.

The AHRC said in a statement issued on Friday that it "regretted" 바카라사이트 academics' intention to resign.

"The AHRC peer review college has a membership of 1,280, and we also call upon many o바카라사이트r academics outside 바카라사이트 college to review research applications as required," 바카라사이트 statement added.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com