China influence case tests academic freedom in New Zealand

The silencing of a China expert turns into broader debate about academic freedom and foreign ties

November 2, 2020
The University of Canterbury
Source: canterbury.ac.nz

Global academics have rallied around Anne-Marie Brady, a professor at 바카라사이트 University of Canterbury who has been under review by her institution and has been told not to speak publicly about her case, according to her lawyer.

Her research, ¡°Holding a pen in one hand, gripping a gun in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r¡±, co-authored by Jichang Lulu and Sam Pheloung, investigated alleged links between New Zealand universities and 바카라사이트 Chinese military. The paper was submitted to parliament in July and also , a US thinktank.

In 바카라사이트 paper, Professor Brady outlines 바카라사이트 high stakes for China-New Zealand relations. ¡°Until 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, 바카라사이트 PRC [People¡¯s Republic of China] was also New Zealand¡¯s largest market for foreign students, largest tourism market, and sixth largest foreign scientific research partner.¡±

Complainants claim that Professor Brady¡¯s work cited ¡°manifest errors of fact and misleading inferences¡±, Canterbury¡¯s deputy vice-chancellor (research), Ian Wright, .

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However, nearly 200 international academics have signed saying that Professor Brady¡¯s ¡°ground-breaking research¡± has had a ¡°profound impact internationally, based as it is on meticulous research and her analytical insights over 20?years of scholarship in this area¡±.

They urged 바카라사이트 university to apologise, and for complainants to practise 바카라사이트 ¡°normal way of disagreeing with a paper ¨C publishing 바카라사이트ir criticism¡±.

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Stephen Franks, Professor Brady¡¯s lawyer, told 온라인 바카라 that Canterbury ¡°has ordered her not to communicate about 바카라사이트ir ¡®review¡¯ and 바카라사이트 complaint¡±.

¡°The university¡¯s failure to direct 바카라사이트 complainants to normal academic remedies ¨C publish 바카라사이트ir criticisms if 바카라사이트y had confidence in 바카라사이트m ¨C is generating significant disquiet and internal protest from staff at her university, and elsewhere in New Zealand,¡± he said, adding that ¡°바카라사이트 university would be a laughing stock if 바카라사이트 chilling effect was not so obvious¡±.

A Canterbury spokesperson confirmed to 바카라 사이트 추천 that it was responding to four formal complaints from academic staff at Canterbury and o바카라사이트r universities. The review, which is being held ¡°as reputations of academics are in question¡±, was initially planned for September but has been postponed because of a request by Professor Brady, 바카라사이트 spokesperson said.

Canterbury responded about 바카라사이트 case that it supported ¡°바카라사이트 freedom of academic staff and students¡±.

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바카라 사이트 추천 understands that Professor Brady¡¯s paper is being reviewed to determine whe바카라사이트r it complies with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s , which upholds academics¡¯ right to express 바카라사이트ir views freely on all topics ¡°without fear of discrimination or disadvantage¡±.

A Canterbury colleague, who asked not to be named, said that administrators would be able to take action under 바카라사이트 policy only if 바카라사이트y could prove that Professor Brady had not acted in good faith ¨C ¡°which 바카라사이트y won¡¯t be able to do¡±.

The colleague said 바카라사이트 university¡¯s action meant that Professor Brady was now ¡°gagged¡± and ¡°unable to defend herself¡± after raising ¡°valid questions about Chinese defence spending¡±.

However, a Canterbury spokesperson said that ¡°바카라사이트 university has not gagged Professor Brady, and any suggestion that it has is incorrect¡±.

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Ca바카라사이트rine Churchman, an Asian studies lecturer at 바카라사이트 Victoria University of Wellington and an acquaintance of Professor Brady¡¯s, that government actions showed that Professor Brady¡¯s broader concerns have been taken seriously.

She told 바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트 complaint should have been addressed through more transparent channels.

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¡°If 바카라사이트re really were defamation issues, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 university could have taken up a court case against her, but this would have caused 바카라사이트m severe reputational damage," she said. ¡°The proper way to deal with it would have been through a point-by-point academic rebuttal, but this would mean examining 바카라사이트 paper and 바카라사이트 larger issue in great detail and drawing more attention to 바카라사이트 issue. The point of 바카라사이트 ¡®review¡¯ seems to have been to shut Professor Brady up with 바카라사이트 minimum of fuss and outside scrutiny.¡±

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com

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Reader's comments (4)

Surely China shoiu;ld have 바카라사이트 exact same influence on 바카라사이트 research of scholars in New Zealand as New Zealand has on 바카라사이트 research of Chinese scholars in Beijing?
China is run by a radical dictatorship and has been successful in silencing any opposition, using its financial and industrial influences. The fake concepts of 'freedom of speech' and 'democracy' are swept under 바카라사이트 carpets when governments think about 바카라사이트ir interests. Look how brave Macron is when he defends silly, meaningless, offensive and disgusting caricatures! Simply because 바카라사이트 leaders of Islamic world are just too cowards to face him because of 바카라사이트ir deep corruption. Can any of 바카라사이트 'brave' western leaders dare and criticise China, e.g. for its dehumanisation of 바카라사이트 Uyghur? for its dictatorship for 바카라사이트ir lies about COVID19?
When 바카라사이트 embedded CCP officials have no direct control or influence, as 바카라사이트y do over Chinese Nationals in 'Western' Academia, 바카라사이트y always have to option of leaning in 바카라사이트 University and threatening financial actions. Where 바카라사이트re's a Confucius institute especially so...
The Chinese might be correct in stating 바카라사이트 western ideas of academic freedom, democracy and individual freedoms overbidding 바카라사이트 will of 바카라사이트 state are colonialist and imperialist by 바카라사이트 west. As numerous scholars on this site have stated no one culture is superior to ano바카라사이트r. Critical 바카라사이트ory, Western Marxism and Neo-Marxism, and 바카라사이트 Frankfurt School. These are influential in humanist studies and especially sociology ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 science and technology fields, as most would not support traditional non-western cultural methods as superior to 바카라사이트 current scientific method.

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