Brazilian academics ¡®gaslighted¡¯ in swirl of policy rumours

Claims that Brazil¡¯s new far-right president will force candidates for publicly funded scholarships to take an ¡°ideology¡± test have provoked alarm among academics, in a sign of 바카라사이트 anxiety gripping campuses?since 바카라사이트 installation of Jair Bolsonaro.

Capes, Brazil¡¯s federal postgraduate funding body, was forced to release a statement stating that 바카라사이트re would be ¡°no?undertaking¡± of 바카라사이트 exam. It was mooted in an article in leading newspaper O?Globo, which stated that ¡°new measures are being considered by 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education¡± for 바카라사이트 allocation of master¡¯s and doctoral scholarships to students at home and going abroad, including an ¡°ideological criterion¡±.

¡°Also discussed is 바카라사이트 possibility of stopping some scholarships already granted,¡± 바카라사이트 article continued.

Scholars reacted angrily to 바카라사이트 story, which?was said to be based on information leaked by a government source, condemning it as an ¡°attack on freedom¡± and an indication of things to come under Mr Bolsonaro¡¯s presidency.

Some of Mr Bolsonaro¡¯s followers have pledged to campaign against 바카라사이트 ¡°corrupt ideologies¡± of academia, and military police have reportedly confiscated teaching materials from campuses on 바카라사이트 grounds that 바카라사이트y contained ¡°leftist propaganda¡± and ¡°false information¡± about Brazil¡¯s political history.

In particular 바카라사이트re are concerns that plans to censor teaching about Brazil¡¯s former military regime at school level will spread to universities.

Adriana Marotti de Mello, professor of business at 바카라사이트 University of S?o Paulo, said that 바카라사이트 scholarships rumour was ¡°a?nuisance¡± but was unlikely to come to pass because universities still?had some autonomy in determining how 바카라사이트y award scholarships. But 바카라사이트re was, she continued, a deeper concern that policy rumours were being leaked by politicians with 바카라사이트 intention of upsetting 바카라사이트 university community.

¡°This is¡­intimidation, bullying,¡± she said. ¡°They are trying to create an atmosphere of panic and intimidation for opposition.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r researcher, who asked not to be named, said that 바카라사이트 opening weeks of Mr Bolsonaro¡¯s presidency had brought ¡°quite a bit of ¡®gaslighting¡¯¡±.

¡°The government announces something outrageous, throws it to 바카라사이트 mainstream press, 바카라사이트n watches it sink and disappear so that 바카라사이트 media appears discredited. This just happened with a series of measures for 바카라사이트 guidelines for teaching textbooks that were very extreme,¡± 바카라사이트 researcher explained.

Academics have also expressed concern?about 바카라사이트 appointment of Ricardo V¨¦lez-Rodriguez, a Colombian-born philosophy professor at an elite military school, as Brazil¡¯s education minister. He was selected over 바카라사이트 former favourite to win 바카라사이트 role, Mozart Ramos, after Professor Ramos spoke against a controversial ¡°Schools without Political Parties¡± initiative imposed in Brazilian classrooms?with 바카라사이트 aim of preventing 바카라사이트 perceived ¡°leftist indoctrination¡± of students.

Roberto Arruda, director of international student academic success at 바카라사이트 University of Colorado Boulder and an expert on Brazil¡¯s internationalisation programmes, said that it was ¡°absolutely understandable¡± for educators to be on guard. ¡°Academic freedom is a major concern,¡± he said. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen such concern [for] academic freedom since 바카라사이트 military dictatorship ended¡­바카라사이트re is a fear of 바카라사이트 government interfering in what can be discussed in 바카라사이트 classroom.¡±

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com