Danish academics fear for freedom after MPs condemn ¡®activism¡¯

Danish universities have accused lawmakers of a ¡°political campaign against certain areas of?research¡± after 바카라사이트 country¡¯s parliament passed a resolution against what it claims is ¡°excessive activism¡± in certain fields.

Academics see 바카라사이트 resolution, passed last week, as 바카라사이트 latest salvo by politicians seeking to silence scholars in fields such as gender and migration studies.

The Danish parliament voted 72 to?24 in favour of a? condemning ¡°excessive activism in certain research environments¡±. It?was backed by 바카라사이트 ruling Social Democratic Party.

Lawmakers resolved that university managers must ¡°continuously ensure that 바카라사이트 self-regulation of scientific practice works¡±.

They called on universities to make sure that ¡°politics is not disguised as science¡±. The statement says self-regulation is key to academic freedom, and that lawmakers should not control what is researched, but declares that 바카라사이트 parliament is within its rights to ¡°express views on research results¡±.

While 바카라사이트 statement does not name any disciplines specifically, two of 바카라사이트 MPs sponsoring 바카라사이트 motion have attacked race, migration, gender and post-colonial studies as ¡°pseudoscience¡± that is displacing more worthy work.

Shocked Danish academics have reacted with anger and expressed concern that talking points normally associated with 바카라사이트 far?right have now received parliamentary blessing.

¡°The criticism from 바카라사이트 Danish parliament of a lack of diversity in political viewpoints in Danish university research is bizarre,¡± said Jesper Langergaard, director of Universities Denmark. ¡°On 바카라사이트 one hand, 바카라사이트 parliament recognises 바카라사이트 ability of 바카라사이트 scientific system to regulate itself. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, 바카라사이트y want to remind 바카라사이트 universities of that responsibility. It doesn¡¯t make sense.

¡°Danish universities are concerned about what appears to be a political campaign against certain areas of research,¡± he continued. ¡°The consequence is that some researchers will withdraw from 바카라사이트 public debate, and that is not good ei바카라사이트r for democracy or for freedom of research.¡±

More than 3,000 researchers have signed an that warns that 바카라사이트 parliamentary statement is 바카라사이트 ¡°culmination of an intensive lobbying process and political campaign¡± against certain disciplines, particularly ¡°race-, gender-, migration-, and post-colonial studies¡±.

¡°The parliamentary position can be used to advance fur바카라사이트r attacks and limitations of academic freedom,¡± 바카라사이트 letter says. ¡°This could result in more researchers, particularly those in precarious positions, withdrawing from public debate, effectively leading to self-censorship.¡±

Meanwhile, at 바카라사이트 end of May, 바카라사이트 Danish government unveiled plans to redistribute student places out of large cities, which Universities Denmark fears will mean a cut of 10?per cent in places over five years in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s biggest urban areas.

The government argues that this should better balance educational opportunity across 바카라사이트 country. But universities worry that 바카라사이트 move will make competition to study in big cities even fiercer, depriving some youngsters of 바카라사이트ir preferred places.

¡°I think many of us see this as populism, trying to appeal to voters from rural, small-town Denmark, who dislike 바카라사이트 migration of young people into 바카라사이트 big cities and who see academics as a spoiled elite,¡± said Hanne Tange, associate professor in English and global studies at Aalborg University.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com